


Snowcon Forest

by ImmortalCoelacanth



Category: A Hat in Time (Video Game)
Genre: Did I say fluff? I meant heartbreaking ANGST, Gen, It's a winter wonderland, Moonjumper has now joined the fray, Mustache Girl is called Mu in this fic, Mustache Girl is here and she is ready to mess stuff up, Now containing the "sick fic" that I previously mentioned (brace for fluff), Other characters might show up but it will mostly be Hat Kid and Snatcher, Papa Snatcher, She is a sweetheart who loves teasing people, Snatcher is now officially DAD, The Florist is here and named Christine, hurt/comfort?, oneshots, prepare for fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-15 19:53:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 89,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13038243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImmortalCoelacanth/pseuds/ImmortalCoelacanth
Summary: Snow has fallen in Subcon Forest, bringing with it a host of fluffy moments between the resident soul-stealing shadow and the new hat wearing alien. Also known as a compilation of fluff moments between Snatcher and Hat Kid in a winter themed Subcon Forest!





	1. The First Snowfall

**Author's Note:**

> Ughhh I still have to work on my other stories, but snow has fallen and I have become inspired!

The night was silent, only the usual sounds of the wind blowing through the trees and the rustling of leaves filled the air. Granted, it was always night in Subcon Forest, but this was usually the time when most of the still living inhabitants went to sleep.

 

Of course there were other creatures that were constantly awake, such as a certain book loving shadow...

 

Snatcher was sitting in his chair enjoying one of his personal favourite law books. The forest had been calm for the past several days, so he had decided to take a day off from patrolling the edges of his domain and enjoy some time reading.

 

Typically the shadow would not have much time to relax unless some, _unfortunate_ soul had signed one of his contracts and was still alive for him to order around, but for some reason fewer idiots were falling into his traps.

 

Snatcher hummed softly to himself, he would have to figure out what was causing this lack of free labour later, for now he wanted to enjoy this moment of peace he had. Gentle humming and the sound of pages being turned filled the air…

 

“Boss! BOSS!”

 

And with that shout the calm quiet that had engulfed the tree shattered. The shadow looked up from his book and caught sight of one of his “minions” standing in front of him. Fear radiated from the smaller shadow creature making Snatcher put down his book and float towards the shivering creature.

 

Before he could even ask what had happened to cause one of his subjects to be so afraid, the small being pointed one shaking hand towards the entrance of his home. Snatcher followed the gesture as was stunned by what he saw.

 

There was snow falling from the sky.

 

Snatcher floated to the entrance of his home, his faithful minion following along beside him. He took notice of the slowly accumulating piles of snow that were gathering on the forest floor and the large, fluffy flakes that fell from the sky. Snow was not an uncommon sight thanks to a certain _crazy queen_ who lived in the manor, but it was unusual to see it this close to his home.

 

There were two possible causes for the sudden appearance of the fluffy flakes falling from the sky. One, winter was approaching and this was the first snowfall of the season, or two, _Vanessa_ had invaded his territory.

 

Snatcher prayed the snow was natural.

 

“Wait here.” Snatcher said to his minion as he moved out of the entrance to his home and into the cold forest. There was only one way to know for sure what had caused the snowfall. The shadow closed his eyes and focused on the well of power that rested within him.

 

His death had given him a vast collection of magical powers to use. From detecting specific magical signatures, such as _Vanessa_ , and summoning objects to use in battle. One of those abilities was extremely useful in situations like this one.

 

With this power the shadow reached out and felt the atmosphere, the aura, of the forest. The air was charged with fear, undoubtedly from his subjects and the Dwellers, but it lacked the harsh, biting magical aura _Vanessa_ gave off.

 

The snow was natural then.

 

Snatcher visibly relaxed, arms falling to his side as he floated in place. “It’s natural.” He sighed, voice steady and calm. He made sure to project an aura of safety and comfort, _everything is fine_ she _is not here_ , so his subjects could calm down. This was a far more efficient form of communication then running around the forest trying to find everyone, the shadow found.

 

There was no misinterpretation when it came down to pure feelings and the “messages” could be sent instantly, if only he had gained this ability sooner, then certain incidents could have been prevented...

 

Snatcher heard the crunching of snow, there was a layer of the fluffy particles covering the ground already, and looked down. His subject had joined him in the snow, small footprints trailed behind them leading back to his tree.

 

“So, I guess that means we’re safe then?” The soft, nervous voice asked. Snatcher did not need his abilities to tell that his subject was still afraid. The shadow nodded, catching the hidden question.

 

“I’ll pay extra attention to the ice bitch today, you go and calm down the village.” A relieved sigh rushed out of the smaller shadow, their posture relaxing as they processed the “order” from the Boss.

 

There would always be some lingering fear over Vanessa and what she had put the forest through, nothing would fix the terror all of them had felt when the ice rushed out of her manor and engulfed the village, and when their prince disappeared for so long.

 

The terror that they still felt whenever they gazed at the ice blocks littering the forest.

 

“Thanks Boss!” With that the smaller shadow began to run back to Subcon Village, intent on telling everyone else what they had been told.

 

And get some eyes on Vanessa’s manor. Honestly, they were not about to let their leader and savior exhaust himself just because they were scared! Granted no one would be forced to go into the manor, but they would keep an eye on it nonetheless.

 

Snatcher watched his subject run off, kicking up snow as they went. Geeze, the snowfall was only getting heavier as time went on! The shadow scoffed and swiped his talons through the air in irritation.

 

At least now he knew why fewer morons had been stumbling on his traps. The snow would drive any sane person to avoid the forest since it sat at the bottom of an incline and the few roads that existed would get completely buried for at least a month.

 

Snatcher gazed up at the sky one more time, feeling the magical aura of the forest once again.

 

Still no sign of _Vanessa_.

 

With a huff the shadow floated back into his home and picked up his discarded book. All he wanted to do was get back to reading, but now he had to keep an eye on _her_ too! His entire day was ruined because of that _stupid bitch_ and all this _stupid snow_ and _stupid wind_ that was _blowing his books everywhere!_

 

Snatched growled, his “hair” fluffing up in anger as he dropped his book on the nearby table. “Stupid snow, stupid wind.” He muttered to himself as he used his magic to create barriers across the entrances to his home. They would block the wind but still allow other beings to pass through.

 

Once the barrier was complete he floated back over to his chair and sat down. He leaned forward and placed his face in his hands. Everything had been going so good until the _stupid_ snow decided to fall!

 

There was no point in trying to continue reading, his night was ruined, now he had to make sure the _ice bitch_ did not do anything stupid, like trying to attack his subjects.

 

The shadow sighed once more before focusing on his magic. Once more he reached out and felt the air around him. Still nothing from _her_ , but he made sure to constantly focus on maintaining his magic. There he stayed, eyes closed in concentration for the rest of the night.

 

At one point he noticed a new aura enter the forest. It felt oddly cheerful and slightly sassy, somehow, but it was not _Vanessa_ so he ignored it and continued focusing.

 

_I should probably think of some contingency plans in case the_ ice bitch _decides to invade the village again at some point. It was bad enough the first time it happened! Freezing_ _what belongs to_ me _just for some attention!_

 

“Hey Snatcher!”

 

_Maybe it would be best to put up some sort of barrier around the manor to try and keep_ her _trapped there..._

 

“Snatcher?”

 

_But it might put my subjects in danger if_ she _gets angry, breaks it, and goes on a rampage. That would be much worse than her throwing a bitch fest just because she wanted some_ attention _!_

“Snaaaaaaatcher?!”

_Ugh, it certainly wouldn’t be the first time she goes on a rampage. I wonder if she’d get as mad as she did during the Bacon Incident-_

“SNATCHER!”

With a yelp the shadow’s eyes snapped open and his body jumped in surprise! When his eyes landed on the person, _intruder_ , standing in front of him the shocked expression on his face dropped into a grimace.

 

“Hey, kid.” That space brat had invaded his home! Again! The child standing in front of him clearly heard the distaste in his voice and offered him a cheeky smile in response.

 

“Hey bff!” Oh, she just _wanted_ to make him angry, didn’t she?! Snatcher could not help but sink down in his chair, as if the plush piece of furniture could save him from having to deal with the sassy child in front of him.

 

He said nothing in response, prompting Hat Kid to walk closer to the shadow, arms hidden behind her back and a small grin on her face.

 

“Sooooooo, what’re you up to?”

 

“I was thinking of a certain, crazy old woman who lives in a manor.” The shadow huffed as he replied, hair slightly puffed up in irritation. First the snow and now this?! Would the world never cease tormenting him?!

 

“Old people are scary.” She sagely nodded in agreement. Old people could be terrifying, especially if you made them angry. With their, wrinkles and awkward shuffling! Hat Kid shuddered just thinking about it!

 

Silence reigned for a few moments, Hat Kid still smiling at the shadow in front of her. _Ugh, what did the kid want?!_

 

“Sooooo, did you know it’s snowing outside?” Hat Kid suddenly asked. Her eyes glowed with excitement and she bounced in place.

 

“I didn’t know winter existed on this planet, I thought it was too warm for it to snow here!”

 

“And I didn’t know aliens knew anything about winter.” Snatcher quipped back, unable to hide the growing smile on his face as the child glared at him.

 

“Of course there’s snow on my planet!” Hat Kid huffed. Just because she was an alien on this planet did not mean she didn’t know what snow was! Once more silence filled the hollow of the tree, and once again the child broke it.

 

“So,” Hat Kid began to speak, waggling her eyebrows at Snatcher. “How about we pl-”

 

“I will _not_ play in the snow with you!” The shadow cut in, immediately understanding what the child was trying to get at. There was no way in _hell_ he would enjoy doing anything that involved snow.

 

_She_ had forever ruined it for him.

 

“There will be no snowmen making near my home.” Snatcher all but _snarled_. “And if I see ONE snowball hitting my tree you’ll find yourself being soulless again!”

 

Instead of cringing back or hiding like he thought she would, Hat Kid just shrugged, clearly not bothered by the idea. “Meh, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”

 

_...What is wrong with this child?!_

 

“Are you suuuure you’re gonna stay here all alone?!” Hat Kid asked, a hint of pleading in her tone. Once she had seen the snow covering the ground she planned to do everything in her power to get into a snowball fight with Snatcher.

 

_I can’t do that if he’s just sitting here moping about his ex!_

 

“I have _far_ more important things to do than entertain you, kid!” The shadow scoffed, arms crossing in front of his chest.

 

“Fine, I guess I’ll just hang out with the Subconites then!” Hat Kid replied, mimicking Snatcher’s pose as she spoke.

 

“....Subconites?” _What the heck is she talking about?_

 

“You know, your minions. It sounds weird calling them that all the time, so I decided to call them Subconites!” The child sounded proud of her idea, and the beaming smile on her face reinforced this, or it did until her smile disappeared.

 

“....Do you like it?” The amount of uncertainty in her tone stunned Snatcher for a moment. When had Hat Kid ever cared so much about someone else’s opinion when doing something? Why did she care what he thought of the name?

 

_It_ did _sound much better than simply calling his subjects minions. Even if they had already accepted their roles it still sounded so strange after all these years..._

“Sure kid.” Hat Kid’s smile was brighter than the sun.

 

“I’ll see you later Snatcher!” The girl called out as she left the tree, that smile still sitting on her face.

 

“Later kiddo.” Snatcher sighed as he watched the girl leave, including her near slip off the root that served as the path to his home. He held back his laughter until she disappeared from sight, and then the shadow let the chuckles escape him.

 

The hat brat could be such a klutz sometimes! It had been especially entertaining watching the kid try to climb up to the top of the tree.

 

_Granted the first time she fell Snatcher felt his nonexistent heart pound as she approached the forest floor, the opening of her umbrella being the only reason why she had come out of that fall alive._

_Then she began to climb the tree once again!_

_Did this kid have a death wish or something?!_

The shadow sighed to himself, all former irritation gone as he relaxed in his chair. That dammed brat had wormed her way into his heart that day and he had gotten _worried_ about her.

 

Pathetic.

 

“She better not bother my minions, Subconites, whatever.” Snatcher grumbled out as he picked up his book from earlier and began reading it again.

 

It looked like Snatcher might be able to enjoy his night after all.

 

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Hat Kid hummed as she followed the path to Subcon Village, enjoying the sights as she moved. Everything was covered in a layer of snow and flakes were _still_ falling from the sky!

 

She eagerly reached her hands up and caught some of the fluffy flakes within her grasp. The snow was very light and did not stick together well, so there went her plans of having a huge snowball fight, but it was still nice.

 

The child walked over to the nearby bench and sat down, not bothering to brush the snow off the seat as she stared up into the night sky.

 

It was so beautiful.

 

The snow and stars seemed to glow with a beautiful light, and the dark sky above only made that glow more intense. Flakes danced above in the light wind, flying back and forth, whirling around each other as they floated to the floor.

 

Hat Kid sniffled, trying to ignore the tears that were running down her face. She wiped them off using the sleeve of her shirt and continued looking up to the sky, to the stars, her previous plan of causing mischief and mayhem in the village completely forgotten.

 

It would be another hour before Hat Kid noticed she could no longer feel her hands and that her entire face felt numb from the cold. Snow was fun to play in and watch, but only if you were prepared to deal with the cold.

 

And unfortunately for her, she was not at all ready for the freezing temperature that settled in as time went on.

 

**xxxxxxxxxx**

 

Snatcher had been completely absorbed in his book. He had memorized the majority of the chapters at this point, but it was always nice to read the source material again. He was still keeping an “eye” on _Vanessa_ and so far nothing had happened.

 

Finally, something good happened for a change!

 

Hopefully he would not have to do this again in the “morning”. While the magic was easy to use it got draining after enough time passed.

 

He was so absorbed in his book he did not notice, or sense, the familiar presence approaching his home until a voice said his name.

 

“Snatcher.” The voice was soft and shaky, as if the speaker was on the verge of crying. Worst of all, _he knew that voice!_

 

The shadow lunged up out of his chair, throwing his book to the floor in the process, and shifted his attention to the child standing in the doorway. It was Hat Kid, and she was covered in snow! Some of it was falling off and landing on the wooden floor but the majority of it seemed to have soaked into her clothes.

 

Even the top of her hat had an even coating of snow on it!

 

The child sniffled softly, as if she was just barely holding back tears. Her arms were wrapped around her body and clutched at her cape, as if the thin fabric would make her warm again. Her entire body shuddered from the freezing temperature.

 

Before Snatcher even knew what he was doing, the girl was lifted up into his arms and the shadow carefully cradled her against his chest as he floated into his home, ranting the entire time.

 

“Honestly, what were you _thinking_ , going out into the snow without something to keep you warm?!” The shadow scolded, equal parts angry and worried as he carried the child in his arms towards his chair. She was looking up at him with an expression of pure shock on her face.

 

Snatcher did not know who was more surprised by his reaction, the brat or him.

 

Hat Kid shuddered in his grasp and pressed herself against his chest in an attempt to get warmer. The shadow sighed as he gently placed her onto his chair, ignoring the whine that escaped her throat.

 

“Sorry kid, I don’t exactly have a body to give off heat anymore.” Snatcher said as he summoned two blankets. One he passed to the girl to help her get rid of the snow and water clinging to her body so she could start to heat up. The other was dark red, extremely fluffy and perfect for keeping warm during the winter.

 

He had spent many cold nights huddled under this blanket as he read about the stars. Astronomy had always been his favourite thing to learn about growing up.

 

Once Hat Kid was a dry as she could get, Snatcher picked her up once again and firmly wrapped the fluffy blanket around her. By the time he was finished only the girl’s head was free of the fluffy material, the rest of her was trapped by the blanket.

 

She sighed and relaxed into the warmth, not moving even when Snatcher casually plucked her hat off her head and set it down on the table. It needed more time to dry, unlike the rest of her clothes.

 

Now he had a decision to make.

 

Snatcher _could_ go somewhere else and read his book, but that would involve leaving the kid alone and honestly the shadow did not know if he could do that right now, he was too worried about her. He could always do something else...

 

The shadow floated close to the girl and once again picked her up. He then spun around and sat on his chair, Hat Kid still held in his grasp. When he was fully settled into his seat his grip relaxed so the child was leaning against him.

 

Hat Kid sighed and snuggled into the shadow’s chest, one hand escaping the blanket and reaching up to hold onto the fluffy “hair” above her. Regardless of whether the shadow had a proper body or not, he was still _warm_ to her!

 

For a second Snatcher felt anger run through him, but one look at the brat’s sleepy face made it fade.

 

“Snatcher.” The mumble was extremely soft and for a second he was worried the brat was getting worse. Snatcher leaned his face closer to Hat Kid’s so he could hear her better, worried thoughts racing through his mind the entire time.

 

_What if she was getting sick?! What if that stupid ice bitch put a curse on her?! What if-_

_Chu!_

The shadow reared back, fiercely ignoring the blush that was now staining his cheeks and the laughing child in his arms. She had _kissed him_ on the _cheek?! What the heck was wrong with this kid!?_

 

“You shouldn’t go around smooching random strangers!” Snatcher shrieked, continuing to ignore the giggling coming from Hat Kid.

 

“But you’re not a stranger, you’re my bff!” She said, face buried into Snatcher’s chest. The shadow had no idea how much she needed this, this comforting hold and warm embrace. It felt so nice...

 

“Don’t fall asleep on me kid, I’m not a bed.” He growled out, but the words lacked their usual bite.

 

Silence descended over the pair and for a moment Snatcher thought the child in his arms had fallen asleep. The shadow reached over towards his book to pick it up when he heard that soft voice once again.

 

“Thanks Snatcher.” Hat Kid mumbled one more time before exhaustion carried her into a deep, dreamless sleep. With a sigh she snuggled as close as she could to the shadow, one hand still buried in his hair, and closed her eyes. Within seconds she was fast asleep.

 

The shadow stared down at the child carefully cradled in his arms and thought about everything that had just occurred, how _vulnerable_ Hat Kid had appeared in those moments. The kid who managed to fight and defeat _him_ , had been so close to breaking down earlier?!

 

Snatcher stared down at the child in his arms. The talons on one of his hands sharpened and he brought them closer to her face, pointing the sharp tips towards her closed eyes. It would be so easy to just....

 

No.

 

Not only would the _contract_ he signed now allow it, he had never broken his promises when he was alive and it certainly was not going to change now, but he felt touched by the amount of trust the child had put in him.

 

The odd amount of trust she had in their strange friendship.

 

His talons lost their point and he gently ruffled Hat Kid’s hair, a soft smile forming on his face as he heard the disgruntled noise she made at the motion. Maybe he could put up with the hat brat.

 

Just this once.

 

“Night kiddo.” Snatcher said, picking up his book with one hand while the other held the child in place so she did not fall while she slept.

 

Together they stayed, one sleeping while the other remained awake. Every so often he would take a break from reading and check on the girl to make sure she was still okay before going back to his book.

 

As the duo relaxed and enjoyed the other’s presence snow continued to fall, and with it the promise of more adventures, fun, and comfort for each other.

 


	2. The Snowball Effect

“Take that, newbie!” Hat Kid yelped as the snowball struck her hat, knocking it off. The Subconite who had thrown it cackled at the girl’s stunned expression, which swiftly shifted into a mischievous grin.

 

She scooped a bunch of snow up into her hat and chased after the, still laughing, smaller shadow. “Get back here!”

 

All around them other Subconites were chucking snow at each other, laughing and shouting as they fought back and forth. She was proud of her plan, especially now that she could see how much fun everyone was having.

 

Her plan had been to start a snowball fight in front of Snatcher’s house, and it worked! Just about all the Subconites were participating and everyone seemed to be having fun. A few Dwellers floated off to the side as they watched the snow fly, occasionally dodging the projectiles. Snatcher himself was sitting in his chair that was now outside, protected by a snow-proof barrier to watch the “battle”.

 

He praised whoever managed to hit Hat Kid and laughed at her betrayed expressions.

 

Originally the child had planned to try and draw Snatcher into the fight, but she had quickly learn that not only could the shadow create barriers, he could also choose to become incorporeal.

 

It was no fun throwing snow at the shadow since it just phased through him while he laughed.

 

All in all the day was going perfectly. Everyone was enjoying themselves, and she had managed to find some old, worn gloves in her spaceship. No frozen hands for her!

 

“IT’S VANESSA!” The small shadow shrieked as they sprinted up the path. Immediately, everyone began panicking. The Subconites disappeared into the shadow and the Dwellers floated higher up into the forest until only Hat Kid and Snatcher were left.

 

Said shadow had “stood up” and floated over towards the pathway that lead to the broken bridge. His eyes narrowed and his gaze sharpened until he could see the smoky shadow that was slowly making her way up the incline.

 

_How dare that ice_ bitch _walk up to his home!_

Snatcher snarled, but his hands were shaking. He was scared, scared of the women who had killed him and made his subject suffer, but he had to be strong. If only his damn hands would stop shaking! Hopefully the hat brat would not notice what was happening...

 

Hat Kid stared at Snatcher’s shuddering form, his pained and angry face. Even if she did not know about the shadow’s past, it was easy to see how visibly upset he was with the creepy old lady’s presence.

 

She shuddered, feeling that unfortunately familiar aura getting closer. She had felt it back in the manor while being chased, that feeling of your vision narrowing down to a point and the shadows around you suffocating you while your instincts screamed at you to _run_ , but it had never felt this strong. This was so not good!

 

Hat Kid had no idea if Snatcher would be able to actually fight against the old lady, so she had to figure out a plan, and fast!

 

She looked around, hoping to find something, _anything_ that would be useful in getting rid of Snatcher’s creepy ex. Ugh, there was nothing but snow! Snow, snow, and snowmen?

 

What?

 

Hat Kid did a double take. It was not a complete snowmen, only the beginning of one. The large ball of snow was sitting not too far from Snatcher’s house and was almost as tall as she was! The child felt a grin appear on her face as a plan formed in her mind.

 

She quickly rushed over and began pushing the snowball, slowly making it bigger. Unfortunately it was taking too long and the child worried that by the time the snowball would be large enough that it would be too late.

 

“Uh, what’re you doing kid?” Hat Kid jumped and spun around, facing the Subconite that had appeared from nowhere. Actually, there were more slowly fading in from the shadows...

 

This was _exactly_ what she needed!

 

“Quick! Help me make this snow ball big enough to crush that creepy old lady with!” She shouted as she went back to pushing the ball that was now as tall as she was. The Subconites immediately understood what her plan was and they got to some.

 

Some of them helped her push the ever-growing weapon while the others simply grabbed snow from the ground and padded it in. Now the snowball was growing even faster, it quickly began to tower over Hat Kid and the Subconites, but that meant that it was getting tougher to push once again.

 

They needed more help, and fast! If only-

 

“What the heck are you doing?!” Snatcher said, stunned at the sight of the large snowball that was now resting in front of his home.

 

“Boss, the kid came up with an awesome plan! We’re gonna use this snowball to squash _her_!” A Subconite said. Joy radiated from each of the Subconites. The plan was amazing and it made to happy to finally have a chance to get back at their _queen_.

 

A massive grin took up the shadow’s face and he laughed with glee. “What an excellent idea brat! I’m glad I didn’t kill you after all! Now step back and let me take care of the rest.”

 

Everyone quickly moved away from the snowball which then started to float in the air, surrounded by a yellow and purple aura. Snatcher waved his no longer shaking hands through the air, summoning his magic.

 

And what happened next certainly was magical.

 

Snow flew off the ground, the trees, and the nearby mushrooms. It quickly attached itself to the snowball, which was now quickly growing. In seconds it was twice the height of Hat Kid, and the shadow was still not done yet.

 

While he took care of their weapon, Hat Kid peered down the path, incredibly aware of the approaching aura. The old lady had just passed the mail boxes, the snowball had to move, now if they wanted to hit her in time!

 

“Throw it Snatcher!” He grinned once again, eyes alright with what could only be pure joy.

 

“With pleasure, kid!” And with that Snatcher used his magic to send the snowball, which was now _ten feet_ in height, down the path towards the unsuspecting victim.

 

From where Hat Kid was watching she could easily see the way the old lady’s red eyes widened as they caught sight of the towering snowball rushing towards her. Fear outweighed any rational thought that might have occurred and instead of using her magic to break it apart, she tried to run away.

 

Key word being _tried_.

 

Seconds after she turned around the snowball caught up and _squashed_ the women, but it did not stop there. Instead of just being run over, because Snatcher’s magic was still fueling the snowball, she got _attached_ to the rolling object and was quickly buried as it continued rolling down the hill.

 

Laughter promptly broke out at the sight of the terrifying _Queen Vanessa_ getting stuck in the snowball like something out of a cartoon, but no one was happier than Snatcher.

 

“ _HAHAHAHAHAHA!_ FOOOOOOOOOL! That’s what you get for entering _my_ domain!” Snatcher cackled as the snowball and _ice bitch_ rolled down the path, quickly approaching the bridge. Using his magic the shadow made the ball of snow float over the gap and land on the other side.

 

While he had lost sight of the snowball, he knew the path well enough to still direct its movement with his magic. He closed his eyes and focused, guiding it until, with a loud _bam,_ the massive snowball slammed into the only entrance to _her_ manor, sealing it off. “Well, I think that’s better than any barrier I could have created!” He laughed once again.

 

The Subconites let out a cheer, the Dwellers that had been hiding popped back into the air and begun doing flips in excitement, and even Hat Kid did a little dance in victory. Snatcher merely stood at the top of the hill, arms crossed and a smug grin on his face.

 

Actually since the shadow was so distracted with his victory, maybe she could...

 

Snatcher yelped as he felt a snowball slam into the back of his head. He spun around and found Hat Kid standing there, innocently whistling as another snowball was thrown up and down in the air. Oh, that brat had no idea what she had just started!

 

His magic flared to life once again and dozens of snowballs floated up into the air. Shadow and child stared at one another, Subconites excitedly watching in the background, and then he spoke.

 

“It’s on!”

 

And with that the snowball fight began once again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very happy to see that people are enjoying my story, thank you guys so much! And if you want to share this with anyone else you think might be interested go ahead, just don't claim it as you own work! :3


	3. Top of the World

If any of his subjects had asked him how he had ended up on top of the snow covered mushroom that grew on top of his tree, stargazing with the kiddo sitting in his lap once again wrapped up in the red blanket, Snatcher was certain he could recall the exact events that led up to that moment.

 

It had all started when the hat brat had shown up to his home one day. She had barged in like she usually did and greeted the shadow with her typical cheer. Snatcher was in a better mood than usual since the snow had finally stopped falling, so he humored the girl for a couple of minutes before kicking her out of his home.

 

Granted, he could not actually kick the kid out, _stupid contract_ , but ignoring her until she left did the trick!

 

After Hat Kid left, Snatcher had continued reading his book and basked in the silence. He had assumed the girl was in the village or exploring the surrounding forest which would give him at least an hour or two for himself.

 

What the shadow did not know was that instead of running off and tormenting his subjects like he thought she would, Hat Kid was still _very_ close by.

 

She was climbing the tree he lived in.

 

Now Hat Kid had what most would call an adventurous spirit. She enjoyed exploring new places and loved running around. She was active and loved to be challenged when facing new obstacles.

 

The first time she had climbed this tree she had fallen multiple times, her umbrella being the only thing that saved her from a painful landing. She never got discouraged and kept trying, and eventually she managed to make it to the top.

 

And it was worth the bumps and bruises. Everything looked so beautiful up there.

 

But now with the snow and ice it was like the tree was challenging her once again, presenting new obstacles for her to overcome. It was taunting her! And the view would be so much better this time!

 

She _had_ to get to the top once again, no matter what!

 

So Hat Kid had grit her teeth, rolled up her sleeves, and started climbing and jumping up to the top of the tree. She jumped to higher branches, bounced off of mushrooms, and used her hookshot when she had to.

 

Higher and higher the girl climbed, ignoring the cold sting of the wind on her face as she steadily began to reach the top of the tree. She noticed that her goal was getting closer and she began to move faster in an effort to conquer this challenge sooner. 

 

But there was something Hat Kid did not notice as she continued to get higher up. It was something small and would have seemed very insignificant in other situations, but it would prove to be deadly in this moment.

 

There was a patch of ice on the branch.

 

The girl was so caught up in trying to get to the top of the tree as quickly as possible, she had forgotten to bring gloves so her hands were freezing, that she did not notice the danger until it was too late.

 

She stepped on the ice and slipped backwards, letting out a shout as she began to fall off the branch. The shock of slipping made her grip on her umbrella loosen for just a moment, but that was all the item needed as it flew from her grasp.

 

_No!_

 

And then she fell.

 

A startled scream escape Hat Kid as she fell, no umbrella to catch her this time! As she plummeted closer and closer to the earth her screaming only got louder. This was the end, she was going to-

 

Wait, was that _Snatcher?!_

 

Indeed it was! Snatcher, who had heard the initial shout, was just exiting his house to see what was going on when the screaming made him look up and catch sight of the falling child. “What the-”

 

“CAAAATCH MEEEE!” Hat Kid shrieked as she fell towards the shadow.

 

The shadow barely had the time to put his arms out before she crashed into him, the force of her landing sending them both to the ground, making a puff of snow jump up and then fall back down. He groaned, arms loosely wrapped around the child for a moment and then he let go. She stood up and faced the shadow with Snatcher slowly sitting up after her.

 

“Kid, what the heck-” Snatcher began to ask, but was cut off when a familiar umbrella fell from the sky and slammed into his face. The object then flew off into some other area of the forest, but Hat Kid was not worried about that. She was more worried about the fact that Snatcher’s eye was twitching.

 

He was _mad._

 

“At least you weren’t blue?” Hat Kid tried, and failed based on the furious look on his face. She was _doomed!_

 

“And just what do you think you were doing?” He asked, any trace of his typical manner of speaking gone and replaced with what Hat Kid could only call a “really angry adult voice”. Oh boy, this was so not good!

 

“I just wanted to look around up there!” She said, hoping her explanation would calm the shadow. Unfortunately for her, it seemed to do the exact opposite. Snatcher’s yellow eyes narrowed and seemed to glow brighter in anger.

 

Hat Kid huffed and looked down to the ground, trying to ignore the tears that were starting to gather in her eyes. So what if it was dangerous, all she wanted to do was look at the forest since it looked so pretty! And look at the stars once again...

 

There was nothing wrong with that!

 

Ugh, the hat brat was upset for some reason. He leaned down and caught sight of the angry frown on her face before she turned it away from him.

 

It perfectly matched his.

 

Honestly, if she had not been so _stupid_ and tried to climb the damn tree he would not have felt this angry. Heck, the shadow grew more irritated as he realized that he was _angry_ over what the child had done. Why should he care if the kid got killed or not?!

 

A memory flashed in his mind of a time long ago in a place that had not seen the sun for decades.

 

_“But I just wanted to look at the stars!” The boy whined, soft hazel eyes tearing up in an attempt to lessen the punishment they were about to receive from the one who found him._

_But it did not work._

_“If you wished to look at the stars you should have done it when you were standing on the ground, not up in the trees!” The figure that towered over the boy shouted. Their entire body was cloaked in shadow and all features of their face were hidden._

_The boy huffed and looked down to the grass covered dirt, angry tears gathering in his eyes. Why was he getting yelled at, he did not do anything wrong?! Besides, he was going to turn ten in a month, he was old enough to take care of himself!_

_The figure sighed and crouched down to the boy’s level. The boy turned away to avoid their gaze, but he could not escape the weight of their stare. Though their eyes were hidden they gave off a feeling of calm instead of the anger the boy had assumed they felt._

_“I am not angry, only upset that you put yourself in such danger without anyone else around.” The boy opened his mouth, as if to argue, but the figure kept speaking._

_“What if you had fallen and hurt yourself? I know you love the stars and the moon, but you_ must _be careful. The next time you wish to do this I ask that you tell me so I might join you.”_

_“Fine.” The boy mumbled, anger fading to exhaustion as he spoke._

_“Now then, let us return as you still have classes tomorrow.” The boy groaned but reluctantly followed the figure out of the grove of trees and back to his home, the stars still shining brightly above them._

 

The memory faded, leaving behind a hollow void in him that drained him of all of his anger and left sorrow behind. Damn, it was like looking in a mirror sometimes. Her face would perfectly reflect that of the boy in his memory. The two might have been great friends if they had ever met.

 

Unfortunately, that boy had died a long time ago, and a monster had taken his place.

 

Snatcher sighed, all previous rage gone, and scooped the angry child up into his arms. Hat Kid let out a yelp as she was picked up, surprise and irritation flowing through her. “Hey, I could have climbed up on my own!”

 

“Sure, and I’m pink.” The shadow snarked back as he slowly floated up to the top of the tree.

 

The child huffed and crossed her arms, looking away. She was only upset for a moment before her natural curiosity took over and she began looking over Snatcher’s arms to the ground below. Her eyes shone with glee as she took in the snow covered wonderland below them.

 

Snatcher noticed Hat Kid’s movements and looked down at her, a soft smile on his face as he watched the girl enthusiastically look around. Sometimes he forgot that the kid was, well a _kid_. She could be so mature at times, especially when the situation called for it.

 

And then, like a switch had been flipped, she would go back to being her childish self. The heavy weight in her eyes gone. It was strange, and slightly worrisome.

 

What had she been through that would make her need to be so mature at times?

 

Snatcher was snapped out of his thoughts when they finally reached the top of the tree. The glowing mushroom that sat there was covered in a small layer of snow, and the air was filled with a faint dusting of mushroom spores that seemed to shine like the stars.

 

The shadow floated above the mushroom and then gently lowered himself, letting go of Hat Kid once he knew she was not in danger of falling once again. She went to sit down, only to yelp when the cold snow easily sank into her clothes.

 

She stood up and looked at Snatcher, who was now sitting on the mushroom beside her. Hesitantly, she reached her arms out towards him in a silent question. Immediately he understood and, reluctantly, decided to help her.

 

“You’re lucky I signed that contract.” Snatcher muttered as he scooped the child up once again and allowed her to sit on his lap. She beamed up at him, ignoring the frown that was still present on his face.

 

“Don’t you have _any_ winter clothing?”

 

“I got this!” And with a flourish Hat Kid switched her precious top hat out for her ice hat. The hat, while turning her to ice when she used its ability, was also very warm and would keep the top of her head and ears from freezing.

 

Unfortunately it did nothing to help with heating up the rest of her body.

 

Snatcher stared down at the shivering hat brat. She might not have noticed how cold she was getting yet, but she would soon.

 

“Kid, you need to take better care of yourself.” With a wave of his hand, Snatcher summoned a familiar red, warm blanket that landed on Hat Kid. The girl let out a faint yelp as the heavy material landed on her.

 

Once she got her head free from the fluffy material she sent a half-hearted glare towards the laughing shadow. She then wrapped the blanket around herself and finally got the chance to look around.

 

Hat Kid knew better than to ask about the strange structures off in the distance and instead focused on checking out the forest around her. Everything was coated in a fine layer of snow that seemed to reflect the light of the stars far above them.

 

It made the forest look magical, or more magical then it already was.

 

The stars looked as beautiful as ever. Their light was both warm and cold. Warm as it brought memories of traveling through space and adventures, but cold since none of these stars were familiar to her.

 

Hat Kid enjoyed her time on this planet and liked being able to meet new people, but she got so _homesick_...

 

“That’s the Raccoon’s Tail.” Snatcher said out of nowhere. Hat Kid peered up at him and found that instead of looking at her he was looking at the stars above them. His yellow eyes were narrowed in concentration as he continued to speak, as if recalling information that had almost been completely forgotten.

 

Once he had finished speaking, the shadow peered down at the girl, waiting for her reaction. Hat Kid smiled and immediately asked to hear more, making that familiar large grin appear on his face for the first time that night.

 

On and on Snatcher spoke about the different constellations in the sky above them. He told her what they were supposed to look like, what they meant, and any stories that were connected to them.

 

Then suddenly he paused, making the girl look up at him once again. His face was, _pained_ , as if someone had just stabbed him in the heart.

 

Snatcher had to keep speaking, he _had to_. He could not let the hat brat begin to connect the dots about his past. Heck, it was hard enough to decide on whether to send her into the manor or not. All the puzzle pieces were there, it would be easy for anyone to piece together what had happen to the _queen and her prince..._

 

“That constellation is referred to as The Lovers.” He said, not noticing the change in his voice as he spoke. “It is two partners dancing together, an eternal dance that represents their unending love for one another...”

 

It had been under this constellation that he and _Vanessa_ had danced, a way of showing their undying love for each other and a promise of commitment. He could remember the warmth of the lights, the soft music that floated around them, and the soft murmur of the villagers and servants as they watched the royal couple dance. They had been bound to each other that night, the stars as their witness.

 

_What a_ fool _he had been!_

 

Hat Kid felt Snatcher’s body stiffen and she looked down at his talons that were slowly getting shaper. A quick glance upwards allowed her to see the furious, pained, and sad expression on his face. He was hurting, bad. She had to say something to break him out of his memories, and fast!

 

_Just, say_ something _to snap him out of it!_

 

“But what if it’s not two lovers?” That certainly broke the shadow out of his trance. He looked down at the girl and she continued speaking, hoping she would be able to help him before he did something he would regret.

 

“Look at those other stars, if you trace them and not the ones above them, one of the partners look a lot shorter! Like a kid!” Snatcher continued to say nothing.

 

_Please let this work._

 

“It could be a pair of siblings, a mother and child dancing, or even a father and daughter dancing together!” She finished, gazing up at his face once again. It was perfectly still and almost appeared to be carved out of stone. For a moment she was scared she had failed to help him, but then something happened.

 

The silence covering Snatcher broke.

 

“ _HAHAHAHAHAHA!_ ” The shadow cackled, voice back to normal. Hat Kid blinked, completely confused by his actions. _Was he having a breakdown?_

 

“That’s a good one, kid!” He wheezed, body shaking as he continued to laugh. Eventually he calmed down, his body stopped shaking and his smile shifted to one that was much more genuine.

 

“Thanks kiddo, you might be an annoying brat, but you’re alright.” Snatcher said. Hat Kid let out a huff and stuck her tongue out, causing him to laugh once again.

 

The duo stayed in this spot for another hour or two, the mood significantly lighter than it had previously been. Jokes and sarcasm filled the air as they chatted back and forth. For all the moments Snatcher had mentioned his dislike of the child, it was clear in that moment that he was truly enjoying himself.

 

It looked like Hat Kid did not actually need that contract to make Snatcher her bff! Her charming personality did the trick!

 

After she had yawned for what felt like the hundredth time, the shadow told that girl that she had to go to bed and, _no she was not sleeping in his home again!_ He had scooped her up into his arms one final time and floated her down to the ground where they parted ways.

 

She had, of course, given his blanket back and began shuddering once the warm material was gone. The shadow had scoffed, told her to bring _actual_ winter clothing next time, and then returned to his home.

 

“Goodnight Snatcher!” The child had called out, eagerly waiting to see if he would respond.

 

“Get some sleep kid!” Was the response, making a huge smile form on her face. That smiled remained as she made her way back to her ship, ready to go to sleep.

 

It was only when Hat Kid was back on her spaceship that she would realize that she had forgotten her umbrella on the planet. She hoped no one would discover the object, but unfortunately for her a certain shadow found it not far from his home.

 

Well, well, well, what perfect leverage to get the hat brat to sign another one of his contracts...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh what’s this, a possible prompt for a future chapter? :3 
> 
> Anyways I honestly have no idea why I seem to be pretty quick writing these chapters out. Also any “memories” I write about Snatcher’s past are, of course, not canon, they’re just something I came up with that fit his character in this story. 
> 
> There also is not any specific order in which I post these chapters, but I will write down when certain chapters are connected to one another. 
> 
> I most likely will not be able to continue posting at this pace when the winter break ends, so enjoy it while it lasts! Thank you guys once again for reading and I hope you keep enjoying this story!


	4. Sick

Snatcher was worried, but he would never admit it out loud.

 

The source of his, _concern_ , was a certain hat brat that he had not seen for several days now. Typically the child would show up two days after her last visit. One day was a break for her to relax and the other was time she spent looking for the remaining Time Pieces, she had told him.

 

But it had been _three_ days since he had last seen her, and he highly doubted that the brat had forgotten. Some days it seemed like she _lived_ off of making him irritated. So where was Hat Kid?!

 

The shadow growled and slammed his book down on the table, leaving it there as he floated out of his home. How dare this, _kid_ , make him feel so worried about her! It was infuriating!

 

He hoped she was okay.

 

Snatcher gazed up at the star filled sky, trying to see if the kid’s ship was still up there. He could not see it, but he had something that would help with this specific task. The shadow summoned his magic and instead of creating something he imagined a specific object appearing on the ground in front of him.

 

A telescope appeared with a flash of purple and yellow smoke, swiftly adjusting itself so he could use it. It had been _decades_ since he had last used this telescope...

 

The stars had not brought him any joy during those days, but he still kept the item around in case he ever wished to use it again. Granted for some reason he was beginning to get the urge to stargaze once more whenever the hat brat was around.

 

The shadow sighed and quickly got to work. He leaned downward and looked through the eyepiece. The brilliant glow of the stars greeted his eyes, but there was no spaceship in sight. He shifted the view, searching the skies for the ship.

 

Then again he had no idea what the brat’s ship looked like. Maybe it was invisible, or perhaps it was positioned on the other side of the planet...

 

_That has to be it!_

 

Snatcher adjusted the knobs and the blurry outline of some strange object floating in space focused until it came into view. It was a _wooden_ spaceship?

 

The entire _spaceship_ seemed to be made out of some kind of wooden material. From his view, Snatcher could make out a large glass window that made up the front of the ship, with some kind of attachments on the top, bottom, and side, all held together by a gold coloured frame.

 

Well, the kid’s ship was there, but was she inside?

 

Why the heck was the telescope rocking?! The shadow pulled back, ready to see if one of the legs for the stand had broken, when he noticed his hands. They were shaking. He growled and tried to get them to stay still.

 

The hat brat was fine! She had fought him and lived, so _nothing_ could beat her!

 

_But what if she was injured and needed help. She was still a child, and all alone._

She made it out of _her_ manor alive, and beat that stupid living outhouse, all on her own!

 

_She has no one to help her if she gets hurt..._

 

“FINE!” The shadow snarled, his magic lashing out around him, avoiding the telescope in his rage. He would check on the stupid brat then, and she would be _perfectly fine!_

 

“Uh Boss, are you alright? I felt your magic go all wonky...” Snatcher spun around and faced the Subconite that had appeared behind him. He could sense the worry being projected off the smaller shadow and had to focus for a moment to control his own magical aura.

 

He felt a little bit irritated when he realized one of the emotions his magic had been expressing was _concern_ over the _hat brat_.

 

Ugh, he had to go check up on her. How annoying.

 

“You’re gonna go check on the newbie, right Boss?” Well, at least Snatcher would not have to worry about telling his minions his plan since they _already knew thanks to his stupid magical aura letting them know!_  

 

The shadow sighed. “Yes, it’s been too long since I’ve last tormented the kid, so I’m gonna check up on her and give her a piece of my mind!”

 

Both of them knew that was not true.

 

“I want you to tell the others about this so everyone knows where I am. If _anything_ happens, or if you _think_ something’s happening, let me know!” He said, tone serious and allowing no room for argument.

 

The kid could be _bleeding_ to death in front of him, but if there was a whisper of something being wrong with his subjects Snatcher would abandon her in a heartbeat.

 

_Why did his whole body go cold at that thought? Why did his hands start shaking in_ fear _?_

“Of course Boss!” The Subconite said, nodding their head as they answered. Everyone was starting to get worried about whether the newbie was okay, even the Dwellers!

 

The shadow smiled once at his subject, happy to know the village would be alert if anything happened. It was one less worry on his mind. Now he had to go take care of the other one. “I’ll be back soon.”

 

And with that, Snatcher made his way up to the spaceship.

 

Now since the shadow was, well a _shadow_ , it was easy for him to simply float up towards the ship, not needing to breathe air or worry about it getting too cold for him past a certain point. Being dead had some perks after all.

 

Once he reached the large window that made up the front of the ship he looked inside for any sign of the kid. He had no such luck. From what he could see of the ship it was empty, but there were some doors that most likely led to different rooms. Perhaps the kiddo was behind one of those doors?

 

Snatcher phased through the window, completely bypassing the small hatch in the window that was boarded up, and entered the spaceship.

 

It was quite... _underwhelming_.

 

Sure the ship itself looked intimidating, even with the wooden paneling, but the interior looked nothing like what he had imagined. The floor was covered in fuzzy carpeting and the walls had the same wooden paneling as the exterior of the ship. There _were_ some interesting machine that rested on the walls and at the front of the ship, which he made note of to check out later, but other than that there was nothing of interest.

 

He assumed that the weird models resting on pedestals on the first floor of the ship were the kid’s toys and did not bother checking them out. 

 

“Where could the kiddo be?” Snatcher said to himself as he continued floating around the room, checking out the various doorways. There were a total of four doors and something that seemed like a lift.

 

One of the doors led to a kitchen with a large telescope sitting in the middle of the room, another hat strange machinery sticking out of the wall it connected to. That left the other two doors and the lift. The shadow floated over to the door on the other side of the room, beside a television.

 

Perhaps the kid’s room was near here. Kids liked watching TV, right?

 

Immediately after phasing through the door, there was no handle on it, which the shadow found to be a bit strange since how else would the door _open_ , he heard something that made him freeze and a chill rush down his spine.

 

Snatcher heard _coughing_.

 

Dozens of thoughts rushed through his mind. _How long had the kid been sick for? What did she have? Was it a cold or something worse? Did have medicine to make her feel better? Was she eating and drinking enough water? And most importantly, was she_ alone _?_  

 

Unable to hold back the concern, and slight fear that ran through him, Snatcher floated forward into what he assumed was the kid’s room.

 

And it certainly was a _kid’s_ room! The room itself was massive with the orange walls covered with images of strange creatures, and the floor was a plush blue carpet, but this actually only described half the room.

 

The other half of the space was taken up by _pillows_!

 

There were easily a hundred of them stacked up into a pile, complete with what appeared to be a diving board resting on the outer edges of the mound. The walls here were purple and had small, yellow crescent moons on them, something Snatcher approved of.

 

_What the heck did the kid need so many pillows for?!_

 

Finally, there room itself had very little furniture. It consisted of one bed, a closet, two tables, one located beside the bed, and two chairs, one in front of the other table and the other off in the corner of the room. There was also another telescope sitting in the middle of the room.

 

_I’m beginning to see a theme here..._

 

Snatcher was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of more coughing which came from the bed. He quickly floated closer and noticed that instead of only one blanket covering the bed, there was actually three. He could faintly make out the shuddering, curled up form hidden beneath the blankets.

 

So the kid was here.

 

“Hey kid, you awake?” Snatcher asked, moving closer so he was now hovering over the blankets. A faint groan was his answer as the figure curled up more beneath the blankets. The shadow sighed and carefully began peeling away each layer, ignoring the whining coming from the figure.

 

Finally he pulled off the last blanket and got his first look at the kid and boy, did she look like _shit._

 

Her entire body was _coated_ in sweat, including the light purple pajamas she was wearing. Her skin was pale and flushed, and her whole body shuddered. Her hat was absent, and it took him a couple seconds to notice that it was off to the side, trapped under the blankets. It took the shadow only a moment to piece together what the kid had.

 

She had a fever.

 

“You, you dumb _brat._ ” The shadow hissed as he took note of the lack of food and water. So not only was the kid sick, she was also probably extremely dehydrated and hungry.

 

“Snatcher...” Hat Kid mumbled, opening one teal eye to stare up at him. She sounded so weak, and her voice was scratchy.

 

“Shut it.” He all but snarled, furious with the entire situation. Why the hell was the kid _sick_? What had she done that would cause her to become so ill in such a short amount of time?! And WHY had she not TOLD HIM?!

 

WHY DID HE CARE SO MUCH IN THE FIRST PLACE?!

 

_Because she was a child all on her own, she had no one to turn to, no one to take care of her in her time of need except for those she had met on this planet, and even if I hate to admit it she reminds me of myself a long, long time ago._

_Dammit._

 

Suddenly a strange noise broke through Snatcher’s thoughts, reminding him of the situation at hand. He would talk to the brat later about how dumb she had been in not telling anyone she was sick, but for now he had to help her get better. He glanced down at Hat Kid and felt his heart drop at the sight that greeted his eyes.

 

She was _crying_.

 

The soft sobs echoed through the room while the child stretched her arms up towards him. She muttered the word “please” over and over again, though the shadow did not know why. Was the fever making her hallucinate, or was it something else?

 

The frown on his face fell into an expression of sorrow as he took in the pleading child, still shuddering on her bed.

 

“C’mere, kiddo.” Snatcher sighed, gently picking Hat Kid up off her bed. At once the child snuggled against the shadow, burying her face in the warm hair around his neck. The whimpering and the tears had stopped, but she was still shivering.

 

Once again he summoned the red blanket, which he should probably just give to the kid since she’s been using it so much, and gently draped it over the child. She sighed and pulled the blanket closer, but remained as close as possible to him.

 

“Alright, listen you little _leach_.” He ignored the faint giggles coming from the girl, and how much lighter he felt after hearing her laughter. “You need to drink water, and eat.”

 

“But I don’t wanna.” Hat Kid whined, nearly in tears once again. She felt so sick, and gross, and pukey, she could not eat!

 

When she had first realized she was sick the child had done her best to eat and drink, but after throwing up several times she _could not_ handle anything. Granted the first thing she had tried to eat were a bunch of cookies...

 

What? She could _totally_ take care of herself!

 

Snatcher merely floated out of the room, or was about to when the door randomly opened. “What the heck?”

 

Hat Kid lifted her head up from the shadow’s warm, _fluffy_ chest and peered at the door. “It’s motion... detective, detecting? Something like that.” She mumbled, finding no small amount of amusement in looking at his stunned face.

 

He huffed, adjusted his grip on the child, and floated through the hallway, wincing as the doors slid open and shut behind them. He then made his way up to the kitchen, relieved when he had to actually _open_ the door to get in.

 

It was official, aliens were weird.

 

At first Snatcher went to put the kid down so he could get her a glass of water, but once she started crying _again_ , it was clear he had to do something else. So he carefully cradled the kid in one arm while he searched for a glass.

 

Luckily enough it did not take long to find the object and the shadow quickly filled it up with water. He then held it up to the child’s face. “Take a sip kiddo, you need water.”

 

For a moment the child tried to refuse, but one look at the serious expression on his face told her that any argument she made would quickly be shut down, so she reluctantly lifted the glass up to her lips. Once she took a sip of the water she realized just how thirsty she had become, and quickly drank the water.

 

“Not that much!” Snatcher barked, quickly taking the glass away before Hat Kid could make herself sick. Another sad whine was his answer, but he ignored it and placed the glass of water down on the counter and made his way over to the fridge to look for some food for the kid.

 

However, after he opened the door he was not sure describing the items inside as _food_ was accurate. There were strange items that he vaguely recognized as meat, cookies, cheese, and milk, but the rest was nearly unrecognizable.

 

Was that... a _burger_ with _tentacles_ and _spaghetti_ with _eyes?! Aliens were so weird!_

 

“Where’s your food kid?” He asked, scanning through the fridge and finding nothing that looked suitable for the ill child to eat. He growled softly and closed the door, irritated at his failure.

 

“It’s there.” Hat Kid muttered, frustration seeping into her voice as her fever continued to make her feel terrible. “All the good food’s in the fridge, and all the bad ones are in the microwave!”

 

_... Bad food?_  

 

The shadow sighed. He needed to think of something else, and fast so the kid could start regaining her strength so she could get better. He did not dare risk using the shadows to get back to the forest to find help in case it made the child feel worse, nor could he put her down to make her some food. If only there was someone that could...

 

That was it!

 

Snatcher reached out with his magic and connected to one of his subjects. _I need you to get over here fast!_

_Right away Boss!_ Was the hasty reply, and not even a moment later his subject appeared. The Subconite panted for a moment, slightly winded since the trip used up a lot of his magic, before he straightened up and faced his leader.

 

“What do you need Boss?”

 

“I want you to find that Cooking Cat creature and bring her back to the ship as quickly as possible.” The shadow said. He had seen the large cat several times in his forest and from what he knew she lived in Mafia Town.

 

“I’ll be back in a flash Boss!” The Subconite saluted Snatcher and then vanished in a puff of purple smoke, beginning his search for Cooking Cat.

 

_Well, I better keep an eye on the kid until then._

 

For the next several minutes the shadow floated in the kitchen, inspecting the area. Hat Kid was lightly dozing in his arms, comforted by his presence, though Snatcher did not know this.

 

Well if there was one thing he could conclude after inspecting the kid’s kitchen, it was that she barely took care of the place! Unwashed dishes filled up the sink in tall stacks, and there was food out _everywhere_! He was surprised roaches had not taken over.

 

Actually, could roaches survive in space? Did space roaches exist? He shuddered and made a mental note to talk to the kid about cleaning up after herself once she got better.

 

It seemed as though he had many things to talk to her about...

 

“Hey Boss, I found her!” The voice of his subject called out, and with another poof of purple smoke he appeared with Cooking Cat.

 

Finally!

 

Now the cat had been extremely surprised when a strange shadow creature had appeared in front of her and told her that his “boss” needed help. She had been, understandably, very suspicious, especially after spending so much time around the Mafia, but once he had explained what was going on she agreed to help out.

 

The poor alien kid had no one to rely on, so of course Cooking Cat would help her whenever she needed it! Besides, kids should not be alone while they were sick, it was a recipe for disaster!

 

It was also a relief to find out that she was not the only one who found Hat Kid’s “food” to be quite strange.

 

Snatcher quickly floated over to the cat and bent down so he was closer to her height. It would be tough to force her into a contract to obey his commands, which meant he had to try and convince her to help.

 

Contracts were more his style, but he had always been good at speaking to his subjects!

 

_It was an important skill for a prince to know after all._

 

“Listen, the kid’s sick and I need you to make some soup for her.” He said, tone strict and allowing no room for argument. He had expected some kind of refusal and then to have to bargain for her help, so he was surprised when the cat smiled up at him.

 

“Don’t worry! This guy here told me everything!” Cooking Cat said, gesturing to the Subconite. “Of course I’ll help!”

 

“Great.” Snatcher said, feeling an eye twitch. He was happy that he did not have to explain what was going on, but how in the world did his subject know what was going on?!

 

The shadow used his magic to project his thoughts to his subject, repeating the question over the bond. _How did you know what was going on?!_

The Subconite shrugged and sent his reply. _You were projecting your emotions Boss, everyone in the forest knows the newbie is sick, even the Dwellers._

 

Damn, the Dwellers could barely feel any of the magic that was projected between him and his subjects so his emotions must have been very _strong_ for them to feel what was going on, especially with such great distance between them.

 

“I have to wait for the water to boil so I can start putting the ingredients in.” Cooking Cat said, completely oblivious to the silent conversation going on. She turned and faced the Subconite after putting a pot on the stove.

 

“Can you stay here until I finish cooking? Just so I can get all the ingredients I need.” The smaller shadow glanced at his leader, and when Snatcher nodded he turned back to Cooking Cat.

 

“Of course, just tell me what I need to do!” He said, an invisible smile on his face.

 

Once the duo in the kitchen started boiling the water, talking as the liquid slowly heated up, Snatcher left the kitchen and made his way back to the main room. While he was there he took a moment to glance at the planet, his planet, and enjoyed the view.

 

It looked _amazing_ , he had dreamed of being able to see his planet growing up, and that dream had stayed with him after he had died but he never thought it would come true. The stars shone with their typical, brilliant light and he could make out several nebulas in the distance. The planet itself looked beautiful, it was a glowing sapphire and for a moment all the rage, pain, and sorrow inside Snatcher faded, leaving only joy.

 

A spot of dark purple caught his eyes and he realized that he could see Subcon Forest from up here! He could even faintly make out some of the individual trees and his home, it was incredible!

 

The shadow hoped everyone was doing alright, and that _Vanessa_ would not decide to invade his territory while he was gone.

 

“Alright since it’ll be a bit until your food’s ready you can have a nap, and I can take a _break_.” He said, floating the child back to her room. This time he did not flinch as the doors opened and closed, too tired to be bothered by the phenomenon.

 

Who knew that dealing with sick kids could be so emotionally and mentally draining?

 

“No!” Hat Kid shouted, immediately doing her best to hold onto the shadow. He could not leave her just yet, she was still sick! She quickly buried herself into the warm fluff around his neck, a poor attempt at hiding as he tried to _get rid of her_.

 

She shuddered, this time not from how cold she felt, but rather the terror that was beginning to engulf her. She would not let him!

 

“Young lady, you _have_ to get back to bed so you can sleep!” Snatcher growled as he tried to untangle the child from him. Why was the hat brat acting so clingy _now_? She had been fine earlier!

 

“No, don’t leave me!” She sobbed, clutching onto the shadow with all of her strength. She did not want to be alone while she was so sick! She did not want to be alone! _Please don’t leave me! Please don’t leave me!_

 

“I’m not going anywhere kid!” And as if those were the magic words Hat Kid stopped squirming around, but she kept tightly holding onto the shadow, ready to start squirming again if she needed to. He sighed and gently hugged the child, holding her as her sobs subsided.

 

After what seemed like an eternity she finally stopped crying and simply lay limp in Snatcher’s arms, completely exhausted.

 

What. A. _Day._

 

He sighed, relieved that the kid had finally stopped crying, but he still needed to figure out what to do. He did not want to float there holding her until the food was ready, and he highly doubted he would fit in the bed, no matter how much he altered his size.

 

He looked around the room, trying to figure out a plan that would let them both rest. _What to do, what to do..._

 

Snatcher grinned when he noticed something that should have been obvious the moment he entered the room. It was honestly _embarrassing_ the fact that he had forgotten about them being there, since they were the first thing he had noticed when he had first entered her room.

 

“That’ll work!” He said, a cheerful grin on his face as he floated over to the massive mound of pillows he had, somehow, forgotten about.

 

The shadow leaned back on the pillows until he was fully lying on them. They were surprisingly comfy and all incredibly soft. It looked like the kid took the most care of her pillows and everything else was less important.

 

“Snatcher?” Speaking of the kid, she still seemed to be exhausted but her eyes were focused on him, waiting to see what he would do.

 

“I told you kid, I’m not leaving.” The shadow swore he had never seen such a bright smile appear on her face. It was like a miniature sun lit up the room, a supernova of light that burned away all sorrow and left only joy in its wake.

 

“You’re so nice to me.” The girl mumbled, her voice taking on a sleepy tone as she relaxed once more in his arms. “Why were you so mean when we first met?”

 

_Because I was scared you were sent by_ Vanessa _to hurt my subjects, because I needed someone to help me take care of the village and fix all the things that seemed to be going wrong at the same time, because I was scared you would try to destroy everything I had created to help my subjects feel safe._

_Because I was scared you would hurt me, and I’m still slightly scared of that happening._

 

“That’s a story for another time, kiddo.” Was all Snatcher said, ruffling the kid’s hair as he spoke. He expected her to grumble and act like it annoyed her, so he was slightly surprised when she let out a happy sigh and leaned against his hand, clearly enjoying the sensation of her hair being played with.

 

The shadow smiled and continued to gently pet her head in calm, soothing motions. He kept doing this after she had fallen asleep and it was the last thing he remembered doing before he too joined her in slumber.

 

Nearly half an hour later the Subconite entered the bedroom, followed closely by Cooking Cat. Only the cat was surprised by the sight that greeted their eyes, the small shadow had already known what they would come across based on all the emotions the Boss had been projecting.

 

There was one word that perfectly described the vision that lay before them.

 

Adorable.

 

Hat Kid was carefully tucked against Snatcher’s chest, still covered by the red blanket he had given her. Both of her hands were buried in the warm hair above her and her face was pressed against his chest in an attempt to stay warm.

 

The most surprising thing about this sight, in the Subconite’s opinion, was the fact that Snatcher was _sleeping_.

 

Few beings in the forest needed to sleep and he could not recall the last time his Boss had fallen asleep, never mind how relaxed he appeared to be!

 

Snatcher’s eyes were completely closed and he had a small smile on his face. One of his hands was resting on the newbie’s head while the other was resting on his side, his arm resting on top of the child to hold her in place.

 

If the duo listened closely, then they would be able to hear not just Hat Kid’s breathing but also Snatcher’s, which was yet another sign of how relaxed the shadow was. The Boss and his subjects did not need to breathe since they were all dead, but they occasionally did it as a way to remember their human selves, or ground themselves if something especially terrifying had happened.

 

Snatcher wanted deeply to forget about his past and because of that he rarely engaged in the practice of fake breathing. The fact that he was doing it now told the Subconite how much more comfortable he felt showing this vulnerability, this connection to who he previously was.

 

How much closer, at that moment, he was to his past, and true self.

 

“I think we should come back later.” Cooking Cat suddenly said, her voice a soft whisper as to not wake up the sleeping duo. The Subconite nodded and together they quietly left the room. As he walked back to the kitchen the small shadow thought about all the feelings he had sensed his Boss projecting just now.

 

There was happiness, of course, a sense of calm that he had rarely felt, just a hint of concern for the newbie since she was still sick, and finally there was love, but it reminded him of something more paternal, more protective of the child he had been cradling in his arms.

 

The Subconite smiled to himself. It looked like the newbie was helping the Boss after all. He could not wait to tell the others!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god this was a struggle to write trying to get the right balance of tsundere and papa Snatcher! This will most likely be a two-shot but I won’t be posting the second part right away. I honestly didn't expect Cooking Cat to appear in this chapter, since I have other plans for her, she just randomly appeared! 
> 
> Also I wanted to know if people would be interested in me creating a social media account to stay updated on the status of my stories. Leave a comment telling me if you would prefer a Twitter account, a Tumblr account, or both dedicated to keeping you guys updated. 
> 
> Anyways I hope you guys enjoyed and I'll see you in the next chapter!


	5. Aura

_Crunch, crunch, crunch._

 

That sound echoed through the forest as Hat Kid made her way over to Subcon Village, snow still covering every surface in a thick layer of the fluffy particles. It had been some time since she had last seen the village, before the snow had fallen, so the child felt it was finally time to visit the Subconites and Dwellers.

 

And see how awesome it looked with the snow covering everything!

 

When she finally arrived, nearly tripping over one of the snow covered graves in the process, she was not disappointed. Like the rest of the forest the entire village was covered in snow, and even the small pond had a thin layer of ice covering it.

 

The glow from the mushrooms seemed brighter than usual, as if the fine layer of snow covering them enhanced their glow somehow. Dwellers floated about, some also covered in snow, and the Subconites stood around, some chatting with each other and some simply observing their surroundings.

 

It seemed like Hat Kid was not the only one who was taken by her surroundings.

 

“Heya newbie! It’s nice to see you hanging around the village!” A Subconite called out, waving to the child as they spoke. She grinned and waved back before walking over to talk to the small shadow.

 

“Wow it looks so pretty over here.” The child happily said once she reached the small shadow. He nodded in agreement.

 

“Yeah, winter doesn’t happen too often but when it does it certainly looks interesting.” Snow might have been ruined for the entire village thanks to... but it certainly looked mesmerizing.

 

The duo continued chattering and while they spoke more Subconites gathered around them. Many were curious as to what the hat wearing alien was doing in the village since she had completed all of her contracts and even gotten her soul back, but they would not make her leave.

 

No, they had all seen the change in their Boss, felt the shift in his aura. The child was helping him far more than she realized, and they would never be able to repay her for that.

 

“So what’s your name?” Hat Kid asked out of the blue, startling the small shadow. It was honestly slightly embarrassing that she had forgotten to ask for their names, especially since she had come up with another name to refer to them in general.

 

“None of us have names.” The Subconite replied, and the others behind him nodded in agreement. Their names had been the first thing they had decided to leave behind after...

 

There was no point in remembering who they used to be since those memories had been corrupted by what had happened on _that_ day. Their names, their forms, and their old lives had all been given up on in an attempt to try to find some sort of joy in their new lives. They refused to let the past tragedies of the forest drag down their futures, to let the pain and sorrow win.

 

Not that the Subconites would ever tell the kid that.

 

“Why not?” The child asked. “How do you know who’s who?” She honestly had no idea how to differentiate between the dozens of Subconites that lived in the forest, they all looked so alike, and sounded so similar!

 

“Well, we read each other’s auras.”

 

“Auras?” Hat Kid asked, blinking and tilting her head to the side. It was easy to imagine the cartoony question marks that would have popped up around her head, her confusion and curiosity were palpable.

 

“They’re... they’re like feelings that describe a person.” A different Subconite said and the others around him nodded in agreement. It was difficult to describe what an aura was to someone who could not feel them.

 

It was like trying to describe the feeling of wind, or the warmth of the sun on your skin.

 

Then again the only reason why they could feel auras was because of the large amount of time they spent with the Boss and the background magic of the forest. Their bodies and souls had become saturated with the natural energies the two emitted, which had led to the development of their own abilities.

 

Maybe someday the newbie would develop some too if she spent enough time around the Boss and in the forest...

 

The Subconite glanced back at the child and noticed that she still looked extremely confused, which was not surprising. “Okay, how about I describe an aura for you then?”

 

Hat Kid grinned and lifted a hand up in the air. “Mine! Describe mine!” She gleefully shouted.

 

“Alright newbie, just give me a sec.” The Subconite laughed. It would take him a moment to figure out how to exactly describe the girl’s aura even though it had been nearly three weeks since she had first appeared in Subcon Forest.

 

Time seemed to have passed by very quickly. It seemed like it was just yesterday when the girl had landed in their forest and their Boss had gained his newest minion.

 

The child nodded and stood perfectly still, as if her lack of movement would make the reading go faster. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of standing still, the small shadow nodded and she relaxed.

 

“The sensation of cool mist on your skin, bright fireworks in the night, the smell and warmth of a bakery, the taste of sweet candy.” The Subconite said and then waited for the child’s reaction. Hat Kid paused for a moment, thinking about what had just been said, then two, and then...

 

“That doesn’t make any sense!” The child nearly wailed, hands gripping the brim of her hat.

 

“Of course it doesn’t but that’s what auras are like.” The Subconite shrugged, knowing that it would not have made sense to the girl no matter how it was explained.

 

Auras were feelings, not words.

 

“Okay, then do someone else’s!” Maybe hearing more descriptions would help her understand? Then again she was also extremely curious as to what the Subconite’s auras were like. Was there some kind of a special difference that separated her aura from a Subconite’s, or did the descriptions just vary?

 

The small shadow in front of her began to speak, but then another faintly feminine voice cut in.

 

“The smell of freshly cut fruit, the sound of wind rustling through leaves, the crackling of a warm fire.” The other Subconite said, and Hat Kid had the feeling that if she could see the shadow’s face there would be a smile on it.  

 

So... auras were feelings that reminded people of other things? Her aura reminded the Subconites of cool mist, fireworks, a bakery, and candy? That was what she reminded them of, or how she felt to them?

 

_I guess that makes sense?_

 

“But, what does Snatcher’s aura feel like?” Hat Kid asked, glancing at the Subconites in front of her. The joyful mood that had been present moments earlier was now gone. The air felt tense and she knew that this was a question she should not have asked.

 

“Napping in front of a warm fireplace.” One of the Subconites suddenly said.

 

“Dancing under the full moon and the stars.” Another chimed in.

 

“The smell of old books.” A third gleefully added, making laughter break out amongst the shadowy figures.

 

“A shield that protects you while an enemy does its best to hurt you.” A Subconite in the back of the group said, and the somber mood returned. It was clear that Snatcher’s aura was something the Subconites took comfort in, those feelings of safety and protection surrounded them constantly, soothing their fears and worries.

 

“Listen newbie, you can’t tell the Boss that we told you this, we’re not supposed to.” The Subconite who had first read her aura said, his tone serious.

 

Hat Kid already had an idea why. She already knew that Snatcher hated appearing weak or exposing any of his weaknesses, like turning blue, and it would not surprise her if his aura reminded himself of when he had been alive.

 

She nodded her head, making her hat move back and forth. “Don’t worry, I won’t!”

 

Actually now that she thought about it, was her aura the reason why Snatcher always seemed to find her so easily? Was that why his traps had always appeared near her, even if she went from one side of the forest to another? She voiced this question to the “smell of freshly cut fruit” Subconite.

 

“We always knew where you were, your aura was new and it was... abrasive.”

 

_Abrasive?_

 

The Subconite noticed the confused expression appearing on her face once again and continued explaining.

 

“When creatures spend enough time in this forest their aura adapts to it in a sense, and begins emitting a feeling that lets us know they’re from here.” Hat Kid nodded, understanding what was being said.

 

“So when someone new enters the forest we immediately know they’re not from here since that adaptation is missing, which makes their aura feel abrasive.”

 

“And that’s why the Boss could easily keep track of you!” Another Subconite added. “He knew where you were since your aura was always irritating him, making him angry, and that’s also why he knew where to put his traps to catch you!”

 

Hat Kid blinked. “Oh, so that’s why he was such a butt when I first met him.”

 

The Subconites all broke out laughing. Some were giggling, others had fallen over in their fit of laughter, and even the Dwellers were wiggling back and forth in the air in amusement at the girl’s statement.

 

“Sure newbie, that’s why.” The small shadow in front of her said, chuckling as he spoke.

 

It sounded oddly poetic, the child who was responsible for constantly angering and teasing Snatcher had been irritating him before they had even met.

 

“So what about now?” Hat Kid asked. “How does my aura feel now?”

 

She could feel the beaming smile coming off of the Subconite standing in front of her. She honestly was not sure what she expected the smaller shadow to say, but what was said certainly surprised her.

 

“Like you’re one of us newbie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think my formatting for this fic will be like 1-2 random chapters with no real plot importance and then a major bonding moment between Snatcher and Hat Kid, or maybe it’ll be between Hat Kid and someone else, which means you can expect another important chapter coming up after I post the next one (which will contain a hint as to who Hat Kid will be bonding with). 
> 
> Anyways I hope you guys keep enjoying this fic and remember to leave a review telling me what you think~


	6. Skate with Me

“Come oooon Snatcher! If you move any slower the surprise will be a _puddle_ by the time were get there!” Hat Kid whined as she tried, and failed, to get the shadow floating behind her to move faster.

 

Snatcher sighed but continued to float after the excited girl. Honestly, he had no idea why he had agreed to follow the kid. She had run up to him, all smiles and excitement, and told him that there was “something super cool you _have_ to see!”

 

Originally he had planned to ignore her until she left, but something about her _pathetically_ adorable teal eyes looking up at him, and that quivering bottom lip, made his resolve break, so he had agreed to follow her.

 

Of course not before telling one his subjects what was happening, who then passed the message on until everyone knew what was happening. Prince or no, he still had the duty of being there for his subjects and that meant them knowing where he was so they could find him if they needed to.

 

The sound of the wind making the branches sway back and forth snapped Snatcher out of his train of thought, returning his focus to the hat brat who was _still_ leading him to whatever this “surprise” was. Honestly, he had _much_ more important things to do with his time than humor the kiddo. Like read a book, torment whoever was stupid enough to trespass in his domain, or do literally _anything_ else.

 

No, he was not in the slightest bit curious about whatever the kid wanted to show him!

 

He was very curious.

 

Finally after walking, or floating in Snatcher’s case, for what felt like an hour the duo apparently reached their destination. It was at the furthest edge of the shadow’s domain, which automatically made him extremely nervous. There were very few trees in this area and the only real feature seemed to be a large patch of ice.

 

“Tada!” Hat Kid cried, gesturing to the ice behind her. Snatcher blinked, completely confused by what he was supposed to be seeing. _What the..._

 

“Uh kiddo, that’s just ice-” He began to say before he was rudely interrupted by the child.

 

“No!” The girl shouted, frowning at the uncreative shadow. Come on, it was _easy_ to figure out what she was talking about! She put her hands on her hips and huffed. “It’s a skating rink! I found a place to skate!”

 

_Oh._

“Kid I think you forgot something.” Snatcher said, voice dry and exasperated. At the child’s confused look the shadow gestured to his _lack_ of legs with a wave of his hands, more than ready to clear up the issue.

 

“As you can see, I DON’T HAVE ANY _LEGS!_ ” Instead of cringing away from the loud shout or apologizing for being so _inconsiderate_ of his ghostly nature, Hat Kid merely laughed.

 

Snatcher felt his eye twitch.

 

Boy, it was a good thing Snatcher was already dead because he was certain he would have died from all the aneurysms the kid was making him have!

 

“Of course I remembered silly!” She replied, giggling and not noticing, or caring, about the irritated expression on his face. “I figured you could just do that copycat thing you did during our fight and look like me, then we can skate together!”

 

“And why,” Snatcher began to say, leaning down so he was closer to the child’s height. “Would I _ever_ want to look like _you_?”

 

Hat Kid huffed and pushed her chest out. “I think the real question is who WOULDN’T want to look as awesome as me!” Honestly, what a dumb question! She was sooooooo awesome, of course Snatcher would want to be as awesome as her.

 

He had enough self-esteem issues after dealing with that crazy old lady anyways.

 

However, her self-pride was ruined when the shadow crumpled over and began cackling, wheezing during the pauses in his laughing fit. She crossed her arms and pouted in response, sticking her tongue out at the shadow when she noticed him looking at her.

 

Which sent the shadow into yet another bout of hysterical laughter.

 

“Hey, stop laughing!” Hat Kid cried out, trying to catch the wheezing shadow’s attention. Geeze, for someone who did not need to breathe he certainly seemed to be out of breath with all his, stupid laughing!

 

She would prove him wrong then, and show him how awesome she was by skating! Yes, this was clearly the only option she had!

 

Hat Kid carefully set one foot on the ice, testing to see if she would slip. Once she was certain she would not fall over the child took another step, and another, and kept going until she had made it to the center of the patch of ice. Smiling at her accomplishment, she spun around to face Snatcher and show him just how great she was.

 

And that was where everything went wrong.

 

Hat Kid had put just a smidge too much force into her spin, so as she turned to face the shadow, who had recovered from his laughing fit and was watching her with a grin on his face, she slipped. With a yelp, she fell on the ice, skidding forward a bit from the impact.

 

_“HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”_ Snatcher began laughing once again, arms folded over where his stomach would be as he leaned forward. “Kid stop! You’re gonna make me die _again_!”

 

She groaned and shook off the slight shock of falling over. Alright, she knew the ice was slippery, and that she could not move too quickly or else she would fall once again. Hm... maybe if she moved nice and slow then she would be able to-

 

_Slip!_

 

“PECK!”

 

“Language, kiddo!” The shadow wheezed out, trying to scold the girl for the “crude” language but failing due to his laughing fit. It was a complete and utter disaster! The kid kept slipping, which of course made him laugh, and her various reactions were even funnier!

 

“Well if it’s so easy then I’d like to see you try!” The child said after she finally managed to stand up and not fall over, crossing her arms once again. As if Snatcher would be able to skate on the ice without falling!

 

The shadow grinned that mischievous grin and with a poof of smoke he was gone and replaced by her shadowy counterpart. The copy looked exactly like her except for the fact that the entire body was made of shadows and the eyes were the same glowing yellow as Snatcher’s.

 

Which made sense considering that this was _him_ , but it was still weird!

 

“How do I look?” The shadow asked, voice a high-pitched imitation of her own, grin still present even in this changed form. She stuck her tongue out at her doppelganger in response. 

 

That grin remained firmly on her copy’s face while it stepped onto the ice. Hat Kid waited for the slipping and falling to begin, except it did not happen. The shadowy figure easily continued walking forward, taking note of the stunned expression on her face.

 

And then it began to skate.

 

The figured darted back and forth across the slippery surface, sometimes spinning or skating on one leg. After her copy had finished skating one lap of the patch of ice, it skidded to a stop in front of her and held out a hand, a faint smirk present on its face.

 

Oh, Snatcher wanted to skate with her! The child grinned and accepted the offered hand, and was quickly pulled along the ice.

 

Hat Kid giggled as her shadowy doppelganger spun her around, sliding back and forth across the ice. Every so often the copycat would let her go and skate around, twirling, jumping, and even skating backwards!

 

It was so cool!

 

The child grinned and clapped, cheering on Snatcher. Suddenly she could hear more voices cheering for the shadow and the surprised child spun around.

 

It was the Subconites, and even some Dwellers!

 

The Subconites were cheering and shouting, some clapping their hands as their Boss showed off for them. Since the majority of the Dwellers could not talk they did flips in the air to show their approval.

 

Suddenly she heard gasps break out amongst the Subconites, and she noticed several of the small shadows whisper to one another. Even the Dwellers had stopped their cheerful floating in the air and were simply hovering, observing what was going on behind Hat Kid.

 

Speaking of which, what _was_ going on behind her?! The child spun around to see what exactly had happened while she had been looking away, and she felt her breath rush out of her lungs at the sight that greeted her eyes.

 

No longer did the shadow doppelganger stand on the ice in front of Hat Kid, it was someone else. Someone who looked very familiar…

 

It was the prince.

 

He looked exactly like he did during the storybook she had found in the Time Rift, but he looked so _different_. The colour scheme of his clothes were now different shades of purple. His skin and hair were also purple, with his hair being a darker shade than his skin. The golden crown he had worn in life was missing, and instead of the trickster grin he always wore he had a very somber expression on his face. His eyes had not changed and still held the same, yellow glow that they always did.

 

What the heck had happened?! She had looked away for like _five_ seconds and Snatcher had turned into, into _this_!

 

The shadowy prince walked forward towards her, and she could feel the tension in the air emitting from the Dwellers and the Subconites. When the figure reached her, Hat Kid tensed up, momentarily scared about what might happen. Snatcher had never told her about his past and she had no doubt in her mind that he wanted to keep it that way.

 

The child was startled out of her worried thoughts when she felt her hat get plucked off her head and a hand ruffle her hair.

 

“Hey!” She cried out and tried to push the offending hand away. That familiar laugh escaped the shadow prince in front of her, making the child look up at the shadow’s grinning face, and her hat which now sat upon his head. Snatcher’s smile was back and she immediately felt relieved.

 

At least Snatcher looked a bit more like his typical spooky self. It was so strange seeing that sad expression on his face.

 

The same hand that had ruffled her hair was now hovering in front of her, being offered just like her shadowy doppelganger had only moments earlier. Hat Kid knew what he was asking, but she felt so uncertain and nervous.

 

As if sensing her fears, although he probably could because of her aura, the prince crouched down so he was the same height as she was, his face in front of hers. There was a soft smile on his face and the child felt herself relax. He was so…. So _different_ now.

 

“Will you skate with me, please?” The prince asked, and she could not refuse.

 

Hat Kid took the offered hand, and they skated. Of course she was pretty short compared to the prince, but that did not seem to matter as he gently swung her around and slid across the ice. Eventually the smile returned to Hat Kid’s face and laughter echoed around the forest once again.

 

Unfortunately, Hat Kid quickly noticed that the prince’s form was wavering, fading in and out. Whatever had caused Snatcher to regain his old form was quickly disappearing. The prince also knew this as he smiled once more at the child in front of him, returned the hat he had taken, and let her go.

 

The prince stepped back, that somber expression on his face once again. Hat Kid blinked and tried to reach for the shadow, but before she could get close his image flickered and suddenly Snatcher was in front of her.

 

But he was not smiling, nor did his eyes seemed to glow with their familiar light.

 

Then he was floating away from her.

 

“Snatcher wait!” The child cried out as she started to run after him. She slipped and fell several times before she managed to escape the patch of ice. As she ran through the snow after the shadow that was getting further away, a Subconite reached out to her.

 

“Newbie, don’t! Give the Boss some time to himself!” The smaller shadow cried out, but Hat Kid ignored the shout and kept running. Snatcher needed her help, she had to help him!

 

Snatcher on the other hand was furious with himself. WHY had he agreed to the brat’s stupid idea, and HOW HAD HE CHANGED BACK INTO…

 

_“My prince,” The voice was soft and elegant, a clear sign of the owner’s noble background. He looked up from the patch of ice in front of him to the figure that was standing to his side._

_Soft hazel met piercing red as the two stared at each other. Golden crowns glittered in the moonlight as snow fell around them._

_“Won’t you skate with me?”_

 

This was horrible, today was terrible, and the shadow wanted nothing more than to go home and read a good book, forget everything that had happened today. Forget the memories that were rising up in his mind and threatening to drown him.

 

_Why was the hat brat making him remember?! He had been perfectly fine before he met her!_

Were his memories affecting his magic? Was it possible that the emotions he felt during certain memories would cause his magic to react in strange ways, like changing his form? The shadow was not certain about how correct his theory might be, but it was definitely something to look into later.

 

“Snatcher wait!” He heard the child behind him shout once more, making him move faster. He did not want the brat to find him like this, he did not want her pity. He was strong, he did not need pity!

 

The shadow grunted as an unfortunately familiar weight latched onto his tail in an attempt to stop him from floating away.

 

“Kid, let go.” Snatcher’s voice was void of all emotions. There was no anger, or sorrow, or even the usual snark, it was just blank and empty. Hat Kid felt worry flood her heart, she had to do something to help him, break him out of the darkness wrapped around him, the pain that threatened to drown him.

 

The child merely shook her head and continued holding onto the shadow, waiting to see what his reaction was. Instead of trying to shake her off like she hoped he would, Snatcher simply reached down and plucked the child off his tail and then placed her in the snow.

 

Snatcher was floating away again! _She needed another plan, what to do, what to do?_

_Uh..... there’s just snow everywhere! What could she do with_ snow _!?_

_Wait,_ that _could work!_

 

“Hey Snatcher!” The brat’s voice cheerfully called out. Ugh, he had a feeling the kid would keep bothering him until he responded. The shadow reluctantly began to turn around and tell the kid to leave him alone when something happened.

 

A snowball hit him in the face.

 

Snatcher sputtered and quickly wiped the snow away to glare at the brat. “Kid, what the he-”

 

Another snowball to the face.

 

Snatcher snarled, flinging the snow from his face as he looked for the hat brat who had now hidden herself. She obviously knew that the irritated shadow would want his revenge for the thrown snow so the brat had decided to hide herself. It would have been a good idea if not for one thing.

 

She was laughing. 

 

The shadow smirked to himself and swiftly floated over to where he could hear the soft laughter coming from, all previous sorrow and pain forgotten in favour of getting revenge.

 

He had the perfect plan...

 

Snatcher quickly reached up and grabbed onto the snow-covered branch above the hat brat, and with one strong shake sent the snow falling towards her. She let out a shriek and tried to escape the falling snow, but she was a bit too slow and the snow quickly covered the child.

 

“Cold!” Hat Kid cried out once she managed to escape the mini avalanche that had landed on her.

 

Snatcher chuckled as he watched the child slowly make her way out of the pile of snow. Once the hat brat was free she shook off the remaining bits of snow that clung to her clothes and stared up at the shadow, a victorious smile on her face.

 

_She did it! She managed to make Snatcher feel better!_

 

The shadow sighed as he looked down at the child in front of him, realizing what she had been trying to do. It was a nice gesture, but he was curious. Why had she attempted to get him to forget about the sorrow that had just been plaguing his mind? He repeated his question out loud and then waited for the child to answer him.

 

What he had not expected was for a strangely solemn look to replace the smile that had been on her face. _What the-_

 

“You’ve been sad for too long.” Hat Kid mumbled, playing with the end of her cape as she spoke. “And you’re hurting because of something you couldn’t control, you don’t deserve that.”

 

That odd amount of maturity was present in her gaze, making the child in front of him seem far older than she actually was. Rather than be concerned about how much she seemed to know about his past, the shadow found worry flooding him as he started down at Hat Kid.

 

“Kid, what happened to you?” Snatcher found himself asking.

 

Hat Kid smiled softly at him, those shadows still present in her eyes, and shook her head. He huffed and crossed his arms, looking the child in the eye. _That_ was not an answer that comforted him in the slightest.

 

“I’ll tell you my story if you tell me yours.” The child finally said, and Snatcher nodded in agreement.

 

“Thanks kiddo.” Snatcher said as he once again messed with the hat sitting on her head. Hat Kid yelped and swung her arms at him, trying to get him to stop.

 

Finally, the shadow relented, backing away with a chuckle. The child then took the opportunity to lunge at him and give him a hug. Snatcher grumbled before relenting and embracing her, ignoring the smile that appeared on his face. The hug lasted for only a second or two before he had enough.

 

“Now shoo kid, I’ve got contracts to make and souls to steal!” Snatcher said as he let go of the girl. She clung on for an extra second, wanting to make the hug last longer before she let go, a huge grin present on her face. The shadow scoffed, smile still present on his face, and began to make his way back to his tree.

 

“BYE BFF!” She cried out to the shadow as he continued to leave. From this distance she could see the cringe at her shout, which was then followed by a casual wave back in her direction.

 

With the knowledge that her friend was feeling better and her good deed for the day complete, she began to make her way back to her space ship, snow crunching underfoot with each step. Unfortunately the snow was rather deep in this area and hid the various stones, branches, and graves that littered the ground.

 

Hat Kid yelped as she tripped over a mound of snow and threw her arms in front of her to stop herself from falling, but then something strange happened. She could faintly feel something tug at her cape and the next thing she knew she was being lifted into the air and set on her feet. She spun around in an attempt to see who had picked her up, but as she quickly learned it was not a _who,_ but a _what_.

 

It was a red string, a red string that was swiftly vanishing into the trees.

 

For a second the child considered running after it and finding out where it had come from, but she shrugged and walked away, figuring that the string had been created by Snatcher or one of the other residents of the forest.

 

It would be a couple days before she realized how accurate her thought was.

 

Deep, deep inside an old cave system, multiple reds strings ran to and fro, entering and leaving the small, circular room. Some were woven through the cave system itself and others flowed out of the hole in the ceiling, many feet above the figure sitting in the middle of the room.

 

The figure itself was hunched over, some of the red strings looped around its fingers as it carefully cradled an item in its hands. The light of the full moon shone down on the figure, revealing what the item was.

 

It was a doll, designed to look like a specific alien child who loved wearing hats...

 

_Stay safe, small one._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, sorry about how long it took to post this chapter, school's been kicking my butt lately! 
> 
> I plan for every main character of the game to have at least one core chapter dedicated to bonding with Hat Kid in this fic, most likely more depending on what ideas I have. You guys can suggest ideas if you want but that doesn’t mean I’ll do them unless I’m stuck, or have other plans for that specific character ;) 
> 
> Anyways thank you all so much for the lovely comments and kudos, and I'll see you in the next chapter!


	7. Icebreaker

_Crack!_

 

A startled shriek. The ground giving way. Her broken yell escaping as she fell down, down, down into the darkness below.

 

The wind rushing past her face, blowing her hair around and almost knocking her hat off of her head. She quickly used one hand to hold it so she would not lose it. Her cape fluttering around her, useless as she fell.

 

Her other arm stretched up towards the gaping hole in the ice she had fallen through, as if the gesture would somehow magically return her to the surface. The starts shone above her through the hole she had fallen through, their light almost blinding her

 

Questions raced through her mind as she fell. Why, why had the ice broken? Why did she have to fall through? Why-

 

_Splash!_

 

Hat Kid yelped as she felt her back smash onto the surface of the water, which quickly dragged her under. Water filled her mouth and lungs, making the child choke on it. Gagging the entire time, she swam back up to the surface as fast as she could.

 

She broke the surface with a loud gasp and then promptly began coughing out water. Slowly she swam towards the nearby shore, coughing and gasping the entire time. After what felt like an eternity, Hat Kid dragged her exhausted body up onto the cold dirt.

 

She was in some kind of cavern and it reminded her of the ones connected to the Subcon Well. It was extremely spacious. The walls shone brightly, providing their own light in the dim atmosphere. There was one tunnel that was right in front of her and a quick check of the cave showed that it was the only one.

 

The only obvious exit was the hole in the ice dozens of feet above her, something she would never be able to reach. She had no climbing gear and the walls were far too slick to hold on to. Heck, even if she shouted as loud as she could it was highly unlikely anyone, be it a Subconite, Snatcher, or some random creature, would hear her voice from this far down.

 

_At least I landed in that big puddle!_

Without the water to cushion her fall the landing certainly would have been much more painful.

 

And deadly.

 

She sighed and stood up, doing her best to get rid of all the extra water that had soaked into her clothes. With the cave surrounding her the cold wind would, hopefully, not have a chance to make her sick.

 

Then again, the cave itself was _really_ cold…

 

Her soggy boots squished with each step she took away from the cold water she had landed it. The child sighed, the cold sapping all of her energy and making her feel exhausted. She had to stay away from the hole in the ice in case anything else fell, or if the wind got too cold.

 

With a yelp she tripped over a stone sticking up in the faintly glowing dirt, and she fell to the cold, dirt floor. Why, why did everything have to go wrong today? Suddenly, the child was intimately aware of another presence, the feeling of something or _someone_ watching her.

 

Hat Kid looked up and met the gaze of the strangest creature she had seen in Subcon Forest.

 

The eyes, if she could call them that, looked almost like small voids with strange red designs in them. The creature’s right eye had red diamonds while its left was a red spiral with what appeared to be a broken monocle resting in the bottom corner. Strange red lines ran from its eyes and mouth to the edge of its face. Its skin was blue and it wore an, oddly familiar, red button up suit top.

 

Its arms were extremely long and there were manacles attached to its wrists. Two tiny fangs poked out of its blue mouth. It also had no legs and hovered in front of her, reminding her of a familiar floating shadow she was friends with.

 

Actually, the entire creature seemed oddly similar to Snatcher.

 

Finally snapped out of her shock at seeing the creature hovering in front of her, Hat Kid screamed. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!”

 

And the creature screamed right back. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

 

They both screamed at each other for a couple seconds before the strange, floating creature spun around and disappeared into the crystalline cave system, flailing its arms as it escaped. The child blinked before scrambling to stand up once again and sprinted after the creature, kicking up dirt as she ran.

 

“HEY, WAIT!” She called out, hoping it would hear her. Unfortunately either the creature did not notice her shout or did not care as it continued floating away.

 

_Ugh, stupid floating creatures and their stupid floatyness!_

 

She sprinted into the cave system, soggy boots slipping a bit as they landed on cold stones. She tumbled and stumbled, but kept trying to keep up with the mysterious floating figure in front of her that was slowly getting further away.

 

After too many twists and turns the child lost sight of the strange creature and had to stop, waiting to hear a sign that would tell her which way it went. Of course she had forgotten that the creature had been _floating_ , which meant it _made no noise when it moved!_

 

By the time she remembered this, it was too late and any chance of trying to find the creature again had been thrown out the window. Hat Kid huffed, slightly tired from running around and stopped, figuring now would be a good time to plan out her next move.

 

Actually, getting back to that first chamber she was in was probably the best idea. At least from there she could be lifted out when someone found her.

 

“Now which way did I come from?” The child muttered to herself, gazing at the multiple other paths that branched off of the one she was in, and then branched off into even more paths.

 

_Oh no..._

 

She was lost.

 

Hat Kid froze for a moment, then two, and then....

 

“HEY, CAN ANYBODY HEAR ME?! HELP! I’M STUCK IN A BUNCH OF PECKING TUNNELS!” She shrieked at the top of her lungs, praying someone would answer her and save her from getting more lost in the twisting maze.

 

Heck, she would even follow that creepy old lady to find a way out of here!

 

But no help came, and all that the child heard was her voice echoing through the tunnels, as if mocking her for her efforts.

 

She whimpered softly to herself, arms wrapping around her still dripping body as the situation began to set in. She was completely and utterly lost, no one knew where she was, and she could not reach her spaceship when she was underground. No one could save her, and she could not save herself.

 

She would die down here.

 

The child broke down. She fell to her knees, ignoring the cold that immediately bit into her flesh, arms were still wrapped around her body. Tears poured out of her eyes as she sobbed to herself. Why, why did she have to go out exploring on her own?! It was stupid decisions like this that made her parents-

 

_No_ , she would not think of that, not at a time like this! She had to stay focused, she had to stay calm and figure out how to get out of these caves, but she was so scared!

 

Then something strange happened.

 

Hat Kid flinched as she felt a thin, soft strand of _something_ brush against her face. With a jolt she looked up and caught sight of what had briefly touched her.

 

It was a red string.

 

She had seen this red string before, it had helped her out when she tripped in the forest. Maybe it would help her now? She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could even get a word out the string began to float away. Desperate for some help, no matter from what source, the child stood up and rushed after the red lifeline.

 

She followed it through the maze-like tunnel system, running as quickly as she could. Unfortunately, the cold was slowly beginning to sap her strength, making it extremely difficult to run as fast as she normally would.

 

It almost seemed as though the string knew this, as it would occasionally slow down and allow the child to catch up before floating away again.  What an oddly considerate piece of fabric!

 

Then finally, after what felt like _hours_ of running through the same tunnels, it opened up into a new room.

 

Hat Kid gasped as she entered the new chamber. It was a big larger than the cavern she had originally fallen into, it also appeared to be made out of the same light blue crystal as the tunnels, and there were red strings _everywhere_! They ran across the floor, were draped on the walls, and hung from the ceiling. Some even trailed off into the other tunnels that the cavern connected to!

 

But why were they here? Did they belong to that strange creature she had run into before? And who or what was the creature she ran into? Surely Snatcher would know about something like that living in his forest, so did that mean it was safe?

 

Or did Snatcher not know because the creature was hiding from him, or that it was so dangerous Snatcher had locked it away in the tunnels.

 

She had so many questions, and nowhere near enough answers.

 

“Ah, hello there young one! It is a pleasure to meet you, though I wish it were under different circumstances.” A voice called out from above her. Hat Kid looked up, and up, and up, and found her eyes meeting the strange red ones of the creature from before.

 

It had been floating close to the ceiling of the larger cavern they were in. A large crack in said ceiling allowed the moon light to pour down, and it seemed to make the floating being shimmer with a mysterious, ethereal aura. What, or _who_ , was this?

 

“It is quite alright child, I will not harm you.” It, or maybe it was a _he_ since the voice sounded masculine, said as it stopped descending and floated in front of her.

 

His voice sounded very, _regal_. It was calm and composed, but did not feel cold. He sounded like someone who cared deeply about those around him. Someone who was compassionate and willing to help those who needed it.

 

It was this voice that made Hat Kid break down once again.

 

With a sob the child threw herself at the floating creature in front of her. Ignoring the startled gasp at her swift movement, she quickly latched her arms around his skinny waist and held tight as she cried.

 

The creature froze for a moment before wrapping his long arms around the child clutching at his waist, gently holding her as she cried. He murmured and cooed softly, trying to comfort the crying child, and ignore the tears that were seeping into his already ruined clothes. “There, there, small one, it is okay.”

 

Eventually the tears finally stopped pouring out of her eyes and she managed to get control of her emotions. With one final shaky sob Hat Kid let go of the creature in front of her and backed up, wiping the few remaining tears that were still in her eyes.

 

“Are you feeling better?” He asked with a worried look on his face. She nodded and his face quickly lit up with relief. “Thank goodness, I was worried when I realized you had fallen through the ice.”

 

But he had been scared when he had first seen her in the tunnel, right? He had screamed when he first caught sight of her. How could be worried about her and be scared of her, that did not make sense!

 

“Then why did you scream when you saw me?” Hat Kid asked, tilting her head to the side as she spoke.

 

“You screamed at me first.” He pointed out, a small smile on his face. Gosh, even his _smile_ looked like Snatcher’s! What the heck was going on?!

 

“But I suppose introductions are in order as I know who you are, but you do not know me. You may call me,” He paused, lifting a hand up in the air.

 

“Moonjumper!”

 

The child blinked and looked up at the newly named Moonjumper. She stayed this way for a moment, then two, and then…

 

“Well that’s a weird name.” She said as she continued to look at the now named creature.

 

“No it’s not!” Moonjumper immediately protested, waving his hands around as he spoke and making the chains connected to them clink. “My name is a perfectly wonderful name, thank you very much! Besides, _Hat Kid_ is a _far_ stranger name than Moonjumper!”

 

“HEY!” The child yelled. What was up with all these floating people making fun of her name?! First it was Snatcher, and now Moonjumper! Wait, how the heck did he know her name anyways?!

 

“Wait, I don’t remember meeting you! How do you know me?”

 

“I have watched over this forest for quite some time. That includes the habitants, both new and old, and you are the newest inhabitant I have had the joy of watching.” Moonjumper said, a soft grin on his face.

 

“You have brought great joy to Subcon Forest, young one, and I can never thank you enough for that.” Hat Kid was intimately aware of the bright red blush present on her face.  

 

“Uh, yeah.” She mumbled, looking down at the floor as she dragged her boot across the cold floor, bright red blush still present on her face.

 

“But I digress, you must leave these caves before you get too cold.” That caused her to look up, eyes widening in surprise. Hat Kid immediately opened her mouth to protest, she did not know the way back after all, but Moonjumper kept speaking.

 

“I will escort you to the surface and from there you will make your way back to safety. I only ask that you forget about this place and meeting me in return.” The child blinked in surprise. She opened her mouth to speak but found that no sound would come out. Moonjumper patiently waited for the young girl in front of him to gather her thoughts and start speaking.

 

“ _Why_?” Hat Kid finally croaked out, completely taken aback at the seemingly random request.

 

“Because my presence in this forest is unknown to most of the inhabitants.” _I called it!_ “Besides, I am certain my arrival would be distressing for...” He trailed off, eyes growing distant.

 

“Are you talking about Snatcher?” Hat Kid hedged, flinching when Moonjumper’s heavy gaze landed on her. _Geeze, when did this guy get so serious?!_

 

“I suppose you could say that.” The creature muttered.

 

Before the child could interrupt and ask what the heck he was talking about, Moonjumper quickly scooped her up in his arms and sky-rocketed out of the cavern and into the cool moonlight, Hat Kid screaming the entire time. She was expecting to feel the freezing air immediately bombard her face, and was pleasantly surprised when this did not happen. Maybe Moonjumper was protecting her with magic?

 

It was a nice gesture, but she was still a bit mad at him _scaring the life out of her!_

 

“PEEEEEEEEEEECK!” She shrieked as they continued to soar upward, the crevasse they had emerged from quickly becoming nothing more than a speck on the ground. Huh, she was actually pretty far from Snatcher’s tree...

 

“Language, young one!” Moonjumper called out, and she could hear the smile in his voice as they began to descend.

 

Luckily enough their descent was much slower than the ascent, allowing the child to relax and take in the scenery around her. _I’ll never get tired of looking at Subcon when it’s covered in snow!_

 

Indeed, the sight was magical. Almost as magical as the forest itself.

 

They landed in a clearing not too far from where they had emerged. Hat Kid could not help but giggle as Moonjumper carefully lowered her to the ground. He was extremely careful, like he was carry one of those porcelain dolls that would break at the slightest touch. It was oddly refreshing to have an adult hovering over her rather than trying to attack her.

 

Then again Snatcher was also acting like this too...

 

She spun around and faced Moonjumper, ready to thank her new friend for his help, when all of a sudden a voice echoed through the clearing.

 

“ _What. Are. You. Doing?_ ” A familiar voice asked that promised nothing but a slow, painful death. Hat Kid spun around and found herself facing Snatcher. At first relief flooded her and a smile formed on her face, but then she noticed his furious expression directed at Moonjumper.

 

_Oh no!_

 

Snatcher was _mad_. His yellow eyes burned with pent up magic as he stared at the floating Moonjumper behind her. The hair around his neck was fluffed up, and reminded her of spikes, while his tail lashed about.

 

Even if she could not sense auras, she could feel the pure _rage_ the shadow was emitting.

 

This was so not good!

 

“Get away from the kid, _now_.” He snarled, magic gathering in his hands. It was purple and yellow, reminding Hat Kid of their fight. Snatcher was going to hurt Moonjumper, she had to do something!

 

“Snatcher wait! He’s not mean! I mean he’s a bit of a weirdo, but other than that he’s okay!” She shouted, ignoring the huff that came from behind her.

 

The shadow was growling, but the magical aura surrounding him was beginning to fade. She was encouraged by this sight and continued speaking, hoping she would be able to completely calm him down.

 

“Snatcher, _please_ trust me! He won’t hurt anyone! He _saved_ me from freezing in the caves!” He looked down at the child in front of him, conflicting emotions dancing across his face. A part of him was screaming to chase the newcomer away and check the kid for injuries, not trusting what he was being told, then again the kid could easily beat anyone who tried to attack her, and he highly doubted she would lie about something as serious as someone saving her life.

 

_Dammit..._

 

“Fine kiddo, but we _will_ talk about this, got it?” Snatcher finally said, magic finally dissipating as the fluff around his neck returned to its typical, soft shape. She nodded, happy her new friend was no longer in danger.

 

With that sorted out, the shadow lifted his gaze from the child to the floating creature behind her. He looked, oddly familiar, and not in a good way.

 

“Who the heck are you anyways!?” Snatcher asked, curiosity overtaking the anger he had previously felt. He had never seen someone who looked like this, _Moonjumper_ in front of him. Worry flooded the shadow.

 

What else might be hiding in his forest that he did not know about?

 

“Why that is a simple question to answer.” Moonjumper said. He swiftly moved forward, hovering directly in front of Snatcher. On instinct the shadow quickly picked Hat Kid up and cradled her against his chest, ready to protect her if he needed to.

 

But he did not need to.

 

A grin appeared on Moonjumper’s face as he stopped moving, hovering in place. He leaned forward, fangs gleaming in the moonlight, and spoke.

 

“I... am you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh, thank you all so much for the lovely comments, I was smiling while I was reading them!! :D
> 
> I know I ended on a cliffhanger there, but don't worry the next chapter for this specific part is already being written. Just a quick heads up the next couple chapters are going to be pretty heavy, both in content and word count, but the fluff shall prevail!
> 
> Anyways thank you all so much for the comments and kudos, and I'll see you in the next chapter!


	8. Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This specific chapter takes place directly after “Sick”!
> 
> Also I now have both a Tumblr and Twitter account under the same name. I’ll be posting when my chapters have been updated, so you can follow me there if you want! The links to them are in my profile :3

The first thing he heard was whispering, or rather what he assumed was whispering. The soft noises buzzed on the edge of his consciousness, drawing him from the oblivion of sleep into the haze of dozing. He could now faintly make out the noises and knew two people were speaking, but he could not discern what they were saying.

 

He groaned, hoping the two would take the hint and _shut up_ so he could sleep.

 

The whispering continued, the duo softly speaking back and forth. Unfortunately they were just loud enough for the shadow to hear and the noises were slowly beginning to wake him up.

 

“So who do you think is gonna wake up first?” _Ugh, who the heck is that?_

 

“I dunno, they both look pretty comfy. It might be a tie. Then again Boss was making noise earlier, so he might wake up first.” _Wait, that’s one of my subjects. Then who the heck is the other voice and why are they bothering me?!_

 

_Looks like I’m not gonna get any more sleep now, stupid talking..._

Snatcher groaned once more and opened his eyes, hissing at the bright light.

 

“I called it!” The voice of his subject shouted, making the shadow hiss once again.

 

“Hush it and stop bothering the poor guy.” The other voice said, _thankfully_ trying to whisper. Now that he was a bit more awake he realized a girl was speaking, but she did no sound like any of his subjects.

 

“Who?” He croaked out.

 

“Boss, it’s me and that Cooking Cat lady.” His subject said and he could hear the smile in his voice. Cooking Cat...?

 

Memories flashed in his mind. The kid getting sick and needing help, sending his subject to get the feline chef, the kid refusing to be put down and clinging on to his body as tightly as she could, lying down in the mound of pillows with the kid to sleep until the soup was ready.

 

The soup!

 

“Is the soup done?” Snatcher slurred, still somewhat tired from his nap. Laughter broke out from the duo but before he could yell at them he felt something move on his chest.

 

He looked down and started laughing at the sight that greeted his eyes.

 

The kid’s face was buried into his chest and her hair was an absolute mess! The brown locks were tangled and lay all over the place. Her clothes were crumpled and at some point the blanket that had been laying on her had been knocked off to the side.

 

While the shadow laughed at the disgruntled child’s appearance, said child let out a groan. She nuzzled her face against the warm shadow she was cuddled to. She felt waaaaaaay better than she had earlier, but the fever had not fully left her just yet.

 

“Come on kiddo, time to get up.” He said, chuckling when the kid whined in protest.

 

The shadow placed both of his hands on either side of the child and gently picked her up, laughing as her whining got louder, but his laughter stopped when he noticed something. There was a thin strand of saliva that started at her mouth and connected to a dark mark on his chest.

 

The strand broke, sending more saliva splashing down on him.

 

He stared at the drool on her mouth and then the dark splotch on his chest for a moment, then two, and then...

 

“YOU DROOLED ON ME!” Snatcher shrieked, ignoring the laughter that came from the other three.

 

He dropped the hat brat and immediately started trying to brush the drool off.

 

Hat Kid landed on the shadow’s tail, which she quickly latched on to and cuddled against, grinning as she listened to his enraged shouting and the laughter from the Subconite and Cooking Cat.

 

The Subconite took pity on his screaming Boss and quickly passed him the blanket that had been tossed to the side, which the larger shadow then used to quickly dry his chest off, shuddering the entire time.

 

When he was all cleaned up Snatcher tossed the blanket away and turned his attention to the, still giggling, child holding on to his tail. “Playtime’s over kiddo, let go.”

 

“Noooooooo!” She whined once again, tightening her grip on his tail so he could not lift her up. Unfortunately she was still quite weak from her fever so her grip was not strong enough to keep her in place.

 

“Nope, your food’s ready and I’m not about to let you drool on me _again_!” And with that the kid was picked up once more and he floated towards the door, the Subconite and Cooking Cat quickly following them.

 

The group quickly made their way from the child’s room back to the kitchen. Once they entered the kitchen the Subconite quickly cleared off a table and brought it to the middle of the room. Then he grabbed one of the nearby stools and placed it in front of the table. “I got a place for the newbie to eat set up!”

 

Cooking Cat walked over to the stove and pulled the small pot of soup off of the burner. She took the lid off and the scent of broth and cooked vegetables filled the kitchen. Snatcher blinked, nostalgia overcoming his mind for a moment as he remembered the similar smells that had filled his home whenever his mother had cooked.

 

It had been soon long...

 

The shadow shook of the memories and plopped the protesting child down onto the stool. Cooking Cat carefully brought the bowl over, steaming hot, and placed it in front of the child. A plate with crackers and a spoon were also put in front of her, curtesy of the Subconite.

 

Hat Kid looked at the soup, then up at Snatcher, then back down at the soup one more time. The shadow crossed his arms and looked down at the child. “Kid, you have to eat the soup.”

 

“No! If I do I’ll feel worse and throw up!”

 

“You have to eat the soup to feel better! You’ll get worse if you stay hungry!”

 

“No!”

 

Snatcher was seconds away from flipping the table the, slightly less, ill child was sitting at.

 

“Eat. The. Soup.” Snatcher growled, leaning down so he could stare the disobedient child straight in the eye. Why was she being so stubborn?!

 

Hat Kid, sans hat, huffed and looked away, crossing her arms in defiance.

 

Snatcher’s eye twitched.

 

Both Cooking Cat and the Subconite were watching the battle in front of them, amused by the arguing that was going on. Several time Cooking Cat had to muffle her laughter by covering her mouth with a paw. The Subconite merely allowed his laughter to echo through the room.

 

“Newbie I think it’s best to listen to the Boss.” The smaller shadow said after his latest laughing fit had subsided. Rather than grace him with an answer, Hat Kid stuck her tongue out at him. More laughter echoed through the room and even Cooking Cat joined in.

 

The child held back her smirk as she listened to the laughter from the duo behind her. She looked up at the shadow in front of her and grinned. She would win this battle and not eat the soup!

 

Snatcher huffed. Fine, if the kid was going to act like a kid then he would treat her like one!

 

He swiftly reached over and plucked the child out of her chair, ignoring the startled yelp she let out. He held the child close to his chest with one hand and used the other one to pick up the abandoned bowl of soup, after placing the spoon in it. The bowl was then held up to her face, the warm steam tickling her nose.

 

The shadow glared down at her, putting as much ferocity into his gaze as possible, and uttered one word.

 

“ _Eat_.”

 

Hat Kid promptly grabbed a spoon full of soup and stuck it in her mouth, burning her tongue in the process. She yelped and Snatcher sighed. “Not like that kid.”

 

After the pain had receded thanks to an ice cube Cooking Cat had gotten her, the child continued to eat the soup, feeling better the more she ate. The shadow had a slightly smug grin present on his face from his small victory.

 

Hey, he would take whatever chance he got to “win” after his defeat at the hands of the hat brat.

 

The loss still stung.

 

Several minutes had passed in this manner before she had finished eating. With a happy sigh she passed the bowl to Snatcher who took it and placed it back down on the table. She then turned around and tried to cuddle the shadow and go back to sleep.

 

Keyword being _tried_.

 

“Kiddo you need to sleep in your _bed_ , not on me.” He said as he lifted her up into his arms and then placed her on the ground, ignoring the pout on her face.

 

She reached her arms up towards him, a gesture that screamed _pick me up_ , but the shadow was not moved. He crossed his arms and smirked down at her, amusement lighting up his features.

 

She huffed and folded her arms in disappointment, making his smile grow.

 

The Subconite and Cooking Cat continued to watch the duo, the smaller shadow standing near the door while the cat placed the bowl, spoon, and plate in the full sink to be washed. She made a mental note to help the child clean up the next time she visited, her kitchen was a mess!

 

After the mess at the table was cleaned up the group then made their way out of the kitchen and back into the main room. Hat Kid was running ahead, her usual energy returning while the other three watched.

 

She rushed down to the main floor, Snatcher floating after her while the Subconite and Cooking Cat walked down the ramp, and waited near the door to her room. The child knew Cooking Cat would have to leave soon, so she had to make sure she thanked the feline before she left.

 

“Thank you!” Hat Kid chirped, a grateful smile on her face. She was feeling _way_ better, and it was all thanks to Cooking Cat!

 

She ignored the whispered “I told you so” that came from the shadow beside her.

 

“No problem, just make sure you keep taking care of yourself so you can get better.” The cat replied, a grin forming on her own face. The Subconite and Cooking Cat then separated from the rest of the group, walking off to the side so they could travel back to the planet without any extra passengers.

 

“Remember there’s more soup in your fridge!” Cooking Cat called out, waving to the child. Hat Kid waved back, a big smile on her face, and then the duo disappeared in a puff of smoke.

 

Now it was just Snatcher and Hat Kid.

 

The shadow took the chance to look over the still sick child. Her face was no longer flushed and she seemed to be breathing easier. The joyful light that was usually in her eyes had returned full force. It looked like she would need one more day to properly recover.

 

Relief surged through him. It was a good thing he had decided to check on the kid, who knew how much worse she would have gotten without someone here to watch over her.

 

“Alright kiddo, let’s get you back to bed so you can rest.” Snatcher said, floating towards the child and shooing her back to her room. “I’ll clean up that pigsty you call a room.”

 

Honestly this place was such a _mess!_ The entire kitchen needed to be cleaned. Her bedroom needed to be dusted, especially those pillows she had, and he had a feeling that the other rooms in the spaceship also needed to be looked after.

 

It would also give him the chance to snoop and learn a bit more about the young alien...

 

Maybe she had a diary hidden somewhere? He knew _Vanessa_ had dozens of them scattered about her manor, so surely the kid had at least one too. That would be the _perfect_ place to get some dirt on the kiddo!

 

“You don’t have to.” She said, happy tone disappearing and the light that had been in her eyes dimming. “I can handle it.”

 

He snorted. “Handle it while you’re sleeping? Suuuuure kiddo. Listen, I’ll just-”

 

“I’m fine.” Hat Kid interrupted, that strangely serious look appearing on her face once again. “I can take care of myself.”

 

“You’re a kid, _and_ you’re sick.” The shadow scoffed, crossing his arms.

 

“Just cause I’m a kid doesn’t mean I can’t take care of myself.” She retorted, mimicking Snatcher’s stance as she crossed her arms.

 

“What about the sick part?” He snarked, irritation beginning to rise as the child continued to argue with him.

 

“I’ll do it when I get better!”

 

“Just let me-”

 

“No! I can take care of it by myself!”

 

“Kid most adults can barely take care of themselves on their own,” Hell, he barely remembered to eat and sleep while he was away at law school. “I wouldn’t expect a _kid_ to be able to!” Snatcher exploded, throwing his arms up in the air as he shouted.

 

“I SAID I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!” She shouted back, angry tears forming in her eyes.

 

“No you _can’t_.” He snarled back, feeling the hair around his neck rise in agitation.

 

“I’M NOT A BURDEN!”

 

The shout echoed through the now silent spaceship as the two looked at each other. The child seemed a bit surprised, as though she had not meant to say that, while the shadow looked on in growing irritation.

 

How dare she. How dare she even _imply_ something like that after everything she had been through. Did she not know how disrespectful that was to herself, to the others that she had fought on this planet!?

 

Anger reared up and he let out a growl.

 

“How _dare_ you.” Snatcher hissed, leaning down so his face was directly in front of Hat Kid’s. She tried to back up but quickly found herself pinned against a wall. “You don’t even _notice_ how strong you are!”

 

She blinked and tilted her head to the side, confusion marring her features. What was Snatcher talking about...

 

“You’re stuck on another planet all alone, and what do you do instead of freaking out? You _make a plan and see it through!_ Do you know how many other people would just start _crying_ or _panicking_ if they were in your situation?!”

 

“And then you beat _ME_! You managed to outsmart _me_ during our battle!” Snatcher ranted, throwing his arms up in the air as he shouted. “That’s the first time I’ve lost _anything_ and it _make me angry_ but you _won!_ ”

 

His hands found their way onto her shoulders as he pinned her in place, yellow eyes burning with some unknown emotion. “You’ve done so much on your own kid, you’re the _furthest_ thing from a burden.”

 

Was... was that _pride_ she could hear in his voice? No, that could not be true! The only one who had ever been proud of her was that weird old man back on her home planet!

 

“But no one can do everything on their own.” It had been so _hard_ , creating Subcon Village from scratch. So hard building everything up from the rubble of their previous lives. Everyone had to work together in order to create their new home. He had wanted to try alone, it was his burden since he was their leader, but his subjects had refused, insisting they help.

 

And everything had turned out so much better because of it. Just because you felt like you should do something on your own did not mean you had to.

 

Snatcher had already learned this lesson, and now it looked like it was Hat Kid’s turn.

 

“You have to let people help you or you’ll just burn yourself out.” He muttered, glancing down to the floor as memories floated through his mind. “Relying on someone else doesn’t make you weak.”

 

How had their conversation had gotten this serious, the shadow wondered to himself. It was hard to believe that the kid had gone from joy and laughter to stern and serious in such a short amount of time. The emotional switch was jarring and it served to show him just how little he knew about the alien child.

 

What could have caused Hat Kid to think about herself in such a way, to believe that she was a _burden_ , when that was far from true? Conversations needed to be had, but he had a feeling right now was not the best time.

 

Snatcher shook his head, breaking free of his thoughts, and looked back up at the girl in front of him.

 

Those eyes he had been staring into were now bright with tears, tears that fell down her cheeks and landed on the floor. A sniffle escape the child as she desperately tried to hold back her tears.

 

“Kid,” The shadow sighed. “C’mere.”

 

Hat Kid rushed forward and hugged the shadow, sighing happily as he put his arms around her. The duo stayed like this for some time while Rumbi, the small robotic vacuum, continued to putter about, occasionally running into something.

 

The silence was broken by Hat Kid who felt a need arise within her. A need to ask something, something she normally would not even consider asking about but felt the urge to regardless.

 

“Snatcher?” He gazed down at the child in his arms and was momentarily stunned by the vulnerable look in her eyes.

 

“Is it alright if...” She trailed off, hiding her face from view. Gosh, this was so embarrassing, but she really wanted to know if...

 

“CanIhugyoumore?!” She blurted out and then once again hid her blushing face from view.

 

“Try again kid, less word vomit this time.” Snatcher said, looking down at the child with confusion covering his face. She took a big breath to calm herself and tried again.

 

“Can I hug you more often?”

 

_Huh?_

At the shadow’s silence she continued speaking, looking off to the side so she did not have to meet his gaze. “I didn’t really get hugs growing up and yours always feel nice... so yeah.”

 

“Wait you didn’t get HUGS while you were growing up!?” Okay, what kind of sick parents did the kid have who would not even _hug_ their child?! Actually, he had no idea how old the kid even was...

 

“How old are you anyways?”

 

“I’m nine...”

 

“YOU’RE NINE!?” Snatcher shrieked. How the hell was this kid _nine_ years old and surviving all on her own?! No wonder most of her food was all _junk_!

 

Oh god, he had tried to _kill A NINE YEAR OLD CHILD!_

Pure horror ran through him while Hat Kid sympathetically patted his arm. DJ Grooves had a similar reaction after her battle with the Conductor. Once the infuriated penguin found out how young she was he had immediately spun around and kicked the unconscious Conductor’s form through a wall.

 

It felt weird watching DJ Grooves be that violent, but it was oddly satisfying too.

 

Once Snatcher was done having his mild melt down, muttering “she’s _nine_ ” under his breath the entire time, the duo made their way back into the child’s room. When they arrived Hat Kid paused and let out a loud yawn.

 

All of the earlier excitement had tired her out, leaving her doubly exhausted.

 

Being sick and having a slight emotional break down were tough on their own, but when you put them together...

 

Snatcher scoffed and folded his arms, warmth dancing in his eyes. “Kid, when I was telling you to start relying on other people I didn’t mean you have to start right now. Honestly, you can be _so lazy!_ ”

 

She laughed, the noise echoing through the room.

 

He smirked down at the child, internally happy to see that light return to her eyes once again. He scooped the girl up and floated to her room, pretending to be unaware of the faint giggling that could be heard coming from her.

 

Snatcher leaned down and dropped Hat Kid on her bed, once again ignoring the laughter coming from her as he grabbed the red blanket from the mound of pillows.

 

When he turned around he was greeted by the sight of Hat Kid reclining on her bed, now wearing her signature hat that was tilted forward to cover her eyes. The hat was then tilted back, her eyes locking on his own.

 

She winked at him, wiggling her fingers in a flirtatious gesture.

 

He let out a loud laugh at the ridiculous sight.

 

The shadow floated back over to the child, still chuckling under his breath, and passed her the blanket. She gratefully took it and immediately cocooned herself in it, but there was something she had forgotten.

 

Snatcher plucked the hat off of her head and placed it on his own, smirking down at the girl. “Well I guess I’ll keep an eye on this then.”

 

Hat Kid scoffed but there was a faint smile on her face. “Fine, just don’t ruin it or anything!”

 

“Sure, anyways night kiddo.” Snatcher said, ruffling the child’s hair. She smiled back and then snuggled in the warm blanket wrapped around her.

 

With that she passed from the waking world into that of slumber, images dancing through her minds as dreams took over. Her mind shifted through several images before finally settling on one.

 

It started out as a child standing alone in the rain, it then changed and a tall man with glowing yellow eyes stood over the small form, it changed once more, showing the man holding an open umbrella over himself and the child, a smile on both of their faces.

 

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**Omake:**

 

Hat Kid groaned and sat up, stretching her arms out. She was feeling much better after another nap and it seemed as though her fever was completely gone. She was no longer sick! She smiled, scooted out from under her borrowed blanket, and stood up.

 

When she looked around she was surprised to find Snatcher relaxing on the pile of pillows, still wearing her hat, and reading a book. She had honestly expected to find him snooping around her space ship or something, not innocently reading a book!

 

Wait a second, that book he was reading looked familiar...

 

“ARE YOU READING MY DIARY?!” She screeched after the realization dawned in her mind.

 

Snatcher, rather than answering her or better yet _putting her diary down_ , merely shushed the child as his eyes continued to scan over the pages.

 

Hat Kid let out an angry shout and charged at the shadow. It took her a bit longer than she wanted to reach him, she kept getting stuck in the pecking _pillows_ , but eventually she was able to make her way up to the reclining shadow and lunge at him.

 

In response he simply placed a hand in front of her and pushed her back, shushing her once again. “Can it kid, I’m getting to the good part.”

 

Hat Kid continued to struggle and get past the barricade, but once she finally did the shadow lifted the book far above her. She jumped and tried to reach it, falling into the pillows several times, and found she was just a bit too short to reach.

 

“Wow kiddo, you really need to use a thesaurus when writing this. Where’s the word play, and you keep using the same adjectives! You’ve called me a jerk twice in this, make it a bit more interesting.”

 

She let out a huff and continued to try and grasp at the book that was out of her reach. “Shut it you, you... jerk!”

 

“There’s my point! You need better insults, kiddo!”

 

“Peck neck!” She barked.

 

“Not _that_ foul.” Snatcher scolded, accidently letting the book drop while he spoke. “I meant be creative-”

 

“Got it!” Hat Kid cried out as she finally snagged the worn diary from the shadow’s grip. She quickly closed it and cradled the book to her chest, as if she could protect the writing it contained.

 

Instead of looking annoyed or irritated he just looked amused, as if her efforts at protecting her _private diary_ were _funny_! She stuck her tongue out at him, making the shadow laugh. _Ugh, hopefully he didn’t get to read too far-_

 

Her thought were interrupted when Snatcher grinned and looked down at her, yellow eyes full of mischief. “So when do I get to hear you sing?”

 

“SNATCHER!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspirational Snatcher is inspirational. 
> 
> I’m so sorry about how long it took for me to update! My muse is creating other fics, but I am determined to keep working on this one. Mainly since I have up to chapter 16 planned out :3
> 
> I have also left several bits of foreshadowing throughout this chapter, and if anyone’s confused or curious don’t worry, the answers will appear in chapter 10!


	9. The Past and Future

“You-I, what?” Snatcher stuttered out, thoroughly confused by what the newcomer was trying to imply. What the heck did he mean by that?!

 

Hat Kid, more curious than worried, squirmed out of his grasp and landed on the ground, looking up at Moonjumper. _What’s he talking about?! Snatcher is_ Snatcher! _There’s no way there’s someone else like him!_

_Unless that creepy old lady has a habit of locking her old boyfriends up in dungeons._

 

“I was quite offended when you left me behind in that dungeon.” Moonjumper said, crossing his arms and facing away from the shadow, who now had a look of understanding on his face. “But I understand, you wanted to escape as quickly as possible from-”

 

The rest of what Moonjumper was going to say was cut off when Snatcher swiftly placed a clawed hand over his mouth. “Not another word.” The shadow whispered as he looked over to where the child was standing, that curious expression still on her face.

 

There was no way he was having this kind of conversation in front of the kid. Not yet.

 

He spun around and faced the hat brat, a smirk on his face. “Alright kiddo, looks like it’s time for you to go home!”

 

Hat Kid gasped. “No way! Not when this is like one of those soap thingys! I neeeed to know what he means!” She cried out. She just had to find out what Moonjumper was talking about, her curiosity demanded it!

 

“Nope.” Snatcher said, smirk on his face growing wider as four of his subjects appeared around the child.

 

The four quickly surrounded her while he used his magic to bind the child up. She let out a yelp as she began to fall backwards, balance lost, but before she hit the ground the Subconites swiftly picked her up. Realization dawned on her, now understanding what his plan was.

 

“Snatcher, don’t you dare!” Hat Kid shouted, squirming as she tried to escape the magical bonds, but it was too late.

 

With a grin and a snap of his fingers Snatcher gave out his orders. “Take her back to the village and make sure she _stays_ there while I chat with Moonboy over here!”

 

His subjects nodded and they swiftly made their way back to Subcon Village, carrying the shouting child with them. The shadow watched until they faded from view before turning back to face Moonjumper.

 

The two floating creatures stared at one another in the now silent forest. Snatcher narrowed his eyes. “Alright, now you can talk.”

 

Moonjumper sighed and folded his arms, chains rattling ominously. “As I was saying, I understand that you wished to flee from Vanessa as quickly as possible, so I forgive you for leaving me there.”

 

“But how could I leave you behind?! It was just me down there!” The shadow snarled, magic crackling around his form. He did not like recalling those memories, but he was _certain_ he had been the only one down there!

 

Trapped while his subjects had searched for him. Trapped while the ice _bitch_ unleashed her magic and killed so many innocent people...

 

“I told you I am you.” The blue figure scoffed. “But perhaps you might remember something that you left behind...?”

 

  _Something he left behind..._

 

Though his memories of that fateful day were blurry, he could remember a few things about his escape. The magic that had flown through him and broken the chains that kept him pinned to the wall, the ripping sound as his soul exploded out of his body, and the sight of his blue corpse on the ground.

 

Blue corpse. It had been so cold he had gotten hypothermia, his skin had turned blue.

 

Blue skin, like Moonjumper.

 

His corpse.

 

Snatcher reared back, staring at the figure in front of him in horror. There was no way that was true! He opened his mouth to demand the figure in front of him speak the truth, but one look at Moonjumper’s face told him he already had it.

 

There was sorrow, grief, and acceptance.

 

“How,” He croaked out, voice breaking as he spoke. “How is something like that possible?!”

 

“I assume it has something to do with the magic within Subcon Forest.” Moonjumper replied, fiddling with the chains attached to his wrists.

 

“There were two conflicting emotions within me, anger and grief, when I was shackled to that wall. You chose to embrace the anger while I chose grief. Plus the strength of your magic, your emotions, literally ripped me, us, in two.” Snatcher blinked at the confusing explanation.

 

“Wait, so what _are_ you and I then?” The shadow asked, moving forward to inspect... himself?

 

Ugh, this was so stupidly confusing!

 

“Think of us as two parts that make up a whole. A body and a soul that when put together make a person.” Moonjumper said, placing a hand on his face as he spoke.

 

“So you and I make... me?” Moonjumper shook his head.

 

“I find it easier to refer to our previous self as _The Prince_ , simply because it makes it much easier to understand, and less awkward when speaking about our past.”

 

“That makes sense.” The shadow mumbled, crossing his arms and glancing off to the side, still unsettled by the whole situation.

 

“It took me some time to adjust to this too.” Moonjumper sighed, looking up at the stars above them. “I managed to escape far later then you did since I cannot use magic.”

 

Well that was surprising.

 

“What do you mean you _can’t_ use magic?! You’re a floating corpse!”

 

“When we broke apart we did not split... evenly.” At Snatcher’s confused expression, Moonjumper explained further. “Do you remember what The Prince’s parents looked like?”

 

“Of course I do!” The shadow scoffed, folding his arms. “They were... dad was...”

 

_No._

Snatcher’s eyes widened and his hands clutched at his arms. Why. Why could he not remember what his father looked like, what his mother looked like? Their images danced within his mind, flying further out of reach the more he forced himself to remember.

 

 “I can’t,” Snatcher wheezed out. “I can’t _remember them!_ ”

 

“It is okay.” Moonjumper said, hovering closer to the distraught shadow. “When we split I got The Prince’s body, and everything connected to it such as his memories, but I believe you will regain yours the more you try to remember. Just do not force it, let the memories come to you and embrace them.”

 

“So my memories won’t be gone forever?” Snatcher asked, relaxing his hands so his talons were no longer digging into his arms. He was still a bit irritated at not having realized how much he had forgotten of his past life, even if there were some things he was happy forgetting.

 

Forgetting his parents, that was something he would never wish for.

 

“That is correct! The memory loss is only a temporary issue, like my own problem that occurred after I escaped.” At the shadow’s curious look, Moonjumper explained.

 

“For several years I could not feel any emotion other than grief. I mourned constantly and worried that I would never feel anything else, and then I realized I could feel worry!” Moonjumper grinned, lifting his gangly arms up in the air while he spoke.

 

“It is all a matter of exposure, as I experienced more emotions, I remembered how to feel others and I am certain the same applies for your memories.”

 

“Exposure, huh.” Snatcher muttered, recalling the different time he had been forced to remember his past. There had been several times, all with the hat brat of course, where he had remembered his childhood and even his past with _her_.

 

Those images were the clearest in his mind, so it was obvious that Moonjumper was telling the truth, but did he actually _want_ to remember everything…

 

_Did he want to remember being in love with Vanessa?_

 

That was the real question.

 

He shook his head, chasing the dark thoughts from his mind, and faced Moonjumper once more. “So what _else_ is different between the two of us?”

 

“Well as I have The Prince’s body my physical form is naturally stronger than yours.” Snatcher nodded. He could be pathetically weak when confronted by an enemy that could _actually_ attack him, or when he was coloured blue. It was why he preferred using contracts or his magic, there was no need to get physically involved.

 

“And as I previously mentioned you are far more magically inclined than I am, but I _do_ have some abilities.”

 

Snatcher tilted his head to the side and crossed his arms, curious as to what these so called _abilities_ were. “Abilities, huh. Show me.”

 

Moonjumper grinned and waved his arms through the air, his eyes taking on a soft red glow. Strange red strings suddenly began to appear in the air, twisting and turning as they floated about. Some wrapped around tree trunks, others lay on the ground, and one even snaked its way over to the floating shadow, who batted it away.

 

“I am able to create these strings, though I am not certain how or why.” Moonjumper waved his hands once again and several of the strings reached out and picked up various items off of the snow covered ground. “I can only assume it is some remnant power from you.”

 

“At least you can do something useful.” Snatcher muttered, only to then yelp when a blue hand yanked at the hair around his neck.  

 

“You should be nice!” The floating figure scolded, releasing the tuft of hair. The shadow scoffed and floated a bit further away in case he got grabbed again.

 

“Oh please Moonboy, why would I want to be nice to you?”

 

“So we can be friends!” Moonjumper said, that stupid smile still on his face.

 

Did this guy ever stop smiling?! It was creepy! Wait, had he been like that while he was alive? Snatcher shuddered, people who never stopped smiling were weird, and suspicious. Like door to door salesmen.

 

“Besides I am certain you will be seeing more of me since I intend to ‘hang out’ with the hatted child!”

 

_Not on my watch buster!_

 

As if he would let someone he did not know be near the kid, even if that person was himself! Granted, it looked like Moonjumper took after his more socially awkward, nerdy self from his younger years, but that did not matter! He could be lying and faking it! Now how to enforce his point...

 

Of course, he would threaten Moonjumper! Threatening people _always_ worked!

 

“Let me just make one thing clear,” The shadow said, floating closer to Moonjumper until he was right in front of him. “If you do _anything_ to hurt the kid, I’ll destroy you.”

 

Instead of getting angry or acting terrified like he had hoped, Moonjumper laughed. It was a warm noise and far different from his own cackles.

 

“Do you think that’s funny?” He hissed, hair fluffing up in irritation. It would be a grave mistake to not take his threat seriously!

 

“I already knew my shadowy friend!” Moonjumper beamed, still trying to control his laughter from earlier. “You radiate protectiveness around the child and only a fool would try to harm her, especially with you so close.”

 

“Your aura betrays you, Snatcher.” The floating corpse said, a smile still on his face.

 

“What the hell are you talking about?!” His _aura_?! What did that have to do with anything?

 

“You might not have been aware of it but I am certain your subjects must have noticed by now. Surely they mentioned something to you?”

 

“Mentioned _what?!_ Stop speaking in riddles and just spit it out!”

 

“She’s your daughter.”

 

Snatcher wheezed, a choked noise that barely escaped his throat. _What_ had Moonjumper just said?! There was no way he meant that, right!?

 

AS IF HE CARED ABOUT THE HAT BRAT LIKE THAT!

 

RIGHT!?

 

The shadow felt like he was having an aneurysm.

 

“Besides, I have no intentions of replacing you, my friend.” Moonjumper clasped his hands together, blissfully unaware of Snatcher’s mental breakdown. “No, I wish to become her favourite uncle!”

 

“What!?”

 

“Yes,” He continued, ignoring the shadow’s stunned expression. “I shall become the best uncle ever! I will give only the best of presents, allow her to break rules (within reason), and stay up after her bed time!”

 

“You’re making a _lot_ of assumptions there.” The shadow groaned into the palm of his hand. As if he could make the kid go to bed at a reasonable time!

 

Then again if he got her to sign a contract...

 

“But you do not deny your fatherly connection to her.” Moonjumper said, smile fading as he began perhaps the most serious conversation of the shadow’s unlife.

 

Snatcher sighed and folded his arms. He had always wanted children, even before he had met _Vanessa_. After his death he had assumed his wish would never be granted. He was a ghost, and ghosts cannot have kids!

 

The shadow had never thought about adopting though, and it seemed like a large part of him had already accepted the kiddo as his own. Heck, even his _aura_ screamed that the kid was _his_ kid, and auras did not lie!

 

“I guess she’s mine.” He muttered and as he spoke he could feel his chest tightening as another thought entered his mind. “But I don’t know _anything_ about her family, or if she even has one!”

 

“Well she certainly does not have one on this planet, so you can be her father here, and I can be her favourite uncle!” Moonjumper chimed in, throwing one of his arms over Snatcher so he could pull him into a hug.

 

Snatcher snorted and offered the gleeful corpse a grin. “Fine.”

 

Moonjumper squealed and began spinning around in joy. “Excellent! Shall we make our way to Subcon Village then so I may introduce myself then?”  

 

The shadow sighed. He had a feeling he would not win this argument. His other self seemed determined to see the kiddo again, and his subjects. Perhaps it was for the best he got introductions out of the way.

 

Besides, where else would Moonjumper live if not in the village? At least Snatcher could keep an eye on him there.

 

“Alright, follow me Moonboy.”

 

**xxxxxxxxxx**

 

“Pleeeeeease?” Hat Kid whined, hands clasped together as she stared at the Subconite in front of her with big, puppy dog eyes.

 

“Please let me go find Snatcher and Moonjumper?”

 

She was still stuck in Subcon Village and had been since she was carried here by the Subconites. The small shadows constantly blocked her and prevented her from leaving, but she did not give up and continued to try and leave.

 

Sneaking out had not worked, so she resorted to begging. Who could resist her adorableness?!

 

Apparently that was _every_ Subconite.

 

The shadow in front of her sighed and shook her head. “Sorry newbie, but the Boss ordered us to keep you here until he came back, and even then I wouldn’t let you go since I don’t know this _Moonjumper_ person.”

 

“Yeah!” Another Subconite chimed in. “How do we know you’re safe around this guy?! The Boss can travel through the shadows if he needs to, you can’t!”

 

For a moment Hat Kid was taken aback at the concern the Subconites expressed. It was strange, ever since they had explained what auras were to her they had been more... affectionate? Attentive?

 

Rather than spitting out snide remarks like when she had first entered the village, now the Subconites engaged in proper conversations with her. Asking how her day had been, how many Time Pieces she had collected so far, and even if she needed any help getting her fuel back!

 

Oddly enough this started happening at the same time as Snatcher acting friendlier towards her. It was a weird coincidence.

 

“I just need to make sure Snatcher doesn’t hurt Moonjumper.” She exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air as she spoke. “Moonjumper saved my life, so I need to make sure he’s okay!”

 

Sure Moonjumper seemed a bit weird, and she had no idea _who_ or _what_ he actually was, but he was nice!

 

More muttering erupted from the crowd near her. While some Subconites agreed in letting the child return to Snatcher, they knew how he could get around someone who might be dangerous, the general consensus was to keep her at the village.

 

Hat Kid groaned and face palmed. Ugh, great! Now how was she supposed to make sure Snatcher did not hurt Moonjumper!?

 

Luckily enough her question was answer when a familiar voice shouted, breaking up the conversation and forcing everyone’s attention on him.

 

“LISTEN UP EVERYONE!”

 

Immediately every Subconite spun and faced the entrance of the village where Snatcher floated, a faint grin on his face.

 

And Moonjumper was behind him!

 

The other floating figure had a huge smile on his face and was gleefully waving to the Subconites, chains rattling as he moved his arms. Once he caught sight of her, his smile grew even larger and he quickly floated his way over.

 

Or he tried to until Snatcher put his arm out and blocked him from moving.

 

“Alright, so Moonjumper here is gonna live in Subcon Village with you guys.” Whispers immediately broke out once again. Snatcher allowed his subjects a couple moments to converse before he continued speaking.

 

“He’s on probation, so if you see him doing anything suspicious tell me _right away_ and I’ll take care of it.” A tenseness that had previously been in the air faded and was replaced by the feeling of relief.

 

The Subconites knew that if this, oddly familiar looking creature was dangerous that their Boss would take care of him. Since he was allowed to live near them it was a clear sign that they would be safe in his presence, or that if he did something to endanger them his punishment would be swift and severe.

 

Snatcher had never put any of his subjects in danger, and he was not about to start now!

 

With that the crowd began to disperse, some Subconites returning to their homes or the forest and others sticking around to observe their new neighbor. Said neighbor who seemed to be looking for someone...

 

There she was!

 

“Young hat wearing child!” Moonjumper called out, attracting Hat Kid’s attention. “I am now your uncle!”

 

“What?!” The child shouted, confusion clearly etched across her face. The floating corpse, instead of answering, rushed over to her and eagerly scooped her up in his arms. He gleefully spun around, ignoring the shouting coming from the girl trapped in his arms.

 

Snatcher sighed. It looked like today was going to be a _long_ day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moonjumper is a precious being who must be protected at all costs, and Snatcher has had an important realization!
> 
> Thank you all so much for the lovely comments, it makes me super happy to see so many of you guys enjoying this, and I'll see you in the next (angst filled) chapter! :3


	10. Good Enough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for Hat Kid and Snatcher finally sit down and talk about their pasts. This chapter will focus specifically on Hat Kid and then next will focus on Snatcher. Please note that for Hat Kid her past in this story is only canon to this story, and same goes with the extra stuff I make up for Snatcher unless said otherwise. 
> 
> Anyways, brace for sadness, fluff, angst filled memories, and just bad times all around, until the fluff happens that is!

_They were leaving her._

_Again._

_The figures in the distance, blurred by the heavy fog that surrounded them, continued to slowly walk away from her, not once looking back._

_Her heart ached._

_She cried out, reaching for them, but the figures did not respond and kept moving away. Moving away from her. She tried to run after them, tried to pick up her legs, but her limbs felt as though they were stuck and trying to move through thick mud._

_No matter how hard she tried she could barely move, and the figures in the distance were getting further away still. She had to stop them somehow!_

_“I’m sorry I’m not good enough, but please, take me with you!” She shouted, voice cracking in sorrow as she spoke._

_“Don’t leave me alone again!”_

_Finally the figures turned around, their features sharpening into focus, oddly similar to her own. She grinned and tried to run towards them, relief flooding her._

_“Burden.”_

_The word was whispered but it floated through the silent air and into her ears, stumbling as her body came to a halt. Panic spread through her and her body started quaking._

_No she was not. She was no burden she would not hold them back while they explored._

_“Burden, burden, burden, burden,”_

No they’re lying, I’m not a burden! I can take care of myself just please don’t leave me here!

 

_“Burden, burden, burden, burden,”_

I’m not, I promise I’m not! Don’t leave me alone, please!

 

_“Goodbye.”_

MOM, DAD, PLEASE DON’T LEAVE ME!

 

**xxxxxxxxxx**

 

Hat Kid woke up with a gasp, tears already spilling out of her eyes as she clutched at the red blanket she had “borrowed” from Snatcher. The warm fabric did little to alleviate the sorrow and pain that still threatened to engulf her, but she did her best to ground herself.

 

She took a deep breath in and let it out, repeating this process several more times until her mind was just a bit more clear, her thoughts a smidge more coherent.

 

The blanket smelled like books, it smelled like Snatcher.

 

More tears poured out of her eyes. She wanted Snatcher! She wanted someone to make her feel better and the goofy shadow never failed to do so, even when he tried to be mean!

 

_“Relying on someone else doesn’t make you weak.”_

Snatcher...

 

It was weird how nervous she felt about bugging him now. Usually she would have no problem bursting into his house tree thing and annoying the life, or death, out of him, but now she was scared he would reject her.

 

Reject her like her parents had.

 

“Snatcher told me I could depend on people.” Hat Kid muttered, further wrapping the blanket around her. “He also helped me when I was sick and tried to protect me when he thought I was in danger.”

 

The fear of rejection still flourished in her troubled heart, but the child did her best to push it down and slowly get out of bed. She did not bother to change out of her lavender pajamas, a button up shirt and matching pants, and instead threw the blanket over her shoulders.

 

Her signature hat was picked up, but she did not bother to place it on her head. She felt better holding something, she felt safer using her hat as some sort of barrier as dumb and idea it might be.

 

Her feet quickly slipped into her boots and she left her bedroom, making sure to stop the blanket from dragging on the ground. It was pretty big but after she had wrapped it around her shoulders enough times it formed a makeshift poncho, ending just above the ground.

 

Hopefully Snatcher would not get _too_ angry if it got dirty...

 

From what Hat Kid understood this was one of the few items from the shadow’s past that he had positive memories with, which made sense considering everything he had been through, so she had no idea how he would react to it getting damaged.

 

The thought of having to face an angry Snatcher nearly made her retreat to her bed, but she kept walking.

 

The main area of the ship was dark, powered down to preserve energy. The little bit of light came from the stars outside, casting much of the interior in shadows. It looked spooky, like Subcon.

 

Hat Kid smiled.

 

She padded over to the window and looked down at the planet. It was night time so most of the inhabitants would be asleep, but Subcon never slept, trapped in its eternal night. Suddenly a small _thud_ from beside her and the child looked down at the robot that bumped into the wall.

 

It was Rumbi.

 

The small robot let out a beep, recognizing that something was going on with its shipmate as she was not usually out of her room at this time, unless she wanted to get something to eat. It had a feeling that this trip was not for some late night cookies.

 

“I have to go for a little bit, but I’ll be back, I promise!” Hat Kid said. She always made promises like that when leaving people, especially those she was close to.

 

She would not be like her parents.

 

“Rumbi keep an eye on the ship while I’m gone!” The vacuum robot let out another beep, jumping as it did so.

 

With that Hat Kid flung herself down to the surface of the planet, aiming at a familiar purple spot. The coolness of space enveloped her and for a moment the child was swimming amongst the stars.

 

The first seconds of planet fall were always the most relaxing. The contrast of warmth and cool, and the momentary weightlessness before gravity took over and pulled her down to the planet. As she fell a protective sphere of energy gathered around her, preventing any damage her descent might cause.

 

It was a strange ability that had existed within her species for a very long time, an adaptation for their frequent travels to other planets.

 

Once she got close enough to the ground the child made sure to bend her knees so the landing did not hurt. Her boots hit the snow covered ground and she sprung up, striking her signature pose. She had to lift up the blanket a bit to make sure the ends did not get snow on them and then made her way over to Snatcher’s house.

 

She had landed on the path in front of his home so the walk was not too far, she just had to make sure she did not slip and fall into the water.

 

That would be _embarrassing_ , and the last thing she needed right now, seconds away from an emotional break down.

 

Meanwhile the shadow she was walking towards was, for the moment, blissfully unaware of the emotionally distraught child making her way to his home. The past several “days” had been pretty busy with getting Moonjumper settled in and making a home for the jolly corpse.

 

Not to mention the underlying tension within his subjects about the “new” arrival. He would have to tell them the truth at some point, but not today.

 

He sighed and leaned back further in his chair, continuing to read one of his old law books. Yes, he would certainly enjoy his nice, relaxing evening all to himself...

 

Hat Kid entered the tree, sniffling as she did so. Snatcher looked up and was immediately taken aback by her drastically different appearance.

 

She was an absolute _mess!_

 

Her pajamas were rumbled, a sign she had gotten out of bed recently, and the blanket he had given her had been hastily wrapped around her body in, what he assumed, was an attempt to keep herself warm. The brim of her hat was crumpled as she held it in a tight grasp in front of her body.

 

However the worst part by far was her tear stained face.

 

Her eyes were rimmed with a red stain, a sign she had been crying for some time, and there were still tear tracks running from her eyes down to her face.

 

What had _happened?!_

 

He immediately placed his book off to the side and floated out of his seat, worriedly looking at the obviously distressed child in front of him.

 

Before he could even open his mouth Hat Kid flung herself at him. On instinct Snatcher opened his arms up and gently caught her, taking the chance to check her over for any injuries. After finding nothing he lifted her up into his arms a little bit more so she was leaning against his chest, assuming her usual position as she snuggled against him, and then sat back down in his chair.

 

“Kid, what happened?” Snatcher asked, whispering softly in an attempt to sooth the child.

 

She sniffed and wiped her runny nose with her sleeve, careful to make sure the blanket was out of the way. She then took a deep breath and began to speak. “I had a...”

 

To tell the truth or not, the child thought to herself as indecisiveness ran rampant within her mind. It was not too late to back out and go back to her ship...

 

No, Snatcher said he would help her and she had to trust in that. The nightmares were starting to get a bit _too_ frequent, and that weirdo was not here to help her.

 

“I had a nightmare,” Hat Kid started once again, clenching her hat once again as she spoke. “But I had it cause I remembered something, something _bad_.”

 

_Well that was foreboding_ , Snatcher thought to himself as he gently ran his hand up and down the child’s back in a soothing manner.

 

“You can tell me if you want to, kiddo.” Clearly this all involved her odd amount of maturity and her near obsession with not being regarded as a burden. He honestly did not know what to expect out of this conversation, but hoped it was nowhere near as bad as it seemed.

 

Then again with his luck...

 

“I-” Her breathing hitched, she could not speak of it now, not while the old pain was still so fresh, like a scar ripped open, but perhaps she could talk about something else. Well, Snatcher _did_ say they would have to talk about their pasts at some point and it looked like now was the time.

 

It would certainly be the best way to fully explain her nightmare, her _memories_ , to someone who had not experienced them.

 

“I was raised by an old man back on my home planet.” The child began, looking down at her clenched hands rather than the face of the shadow above her. “He’s pretty weird and has a third eye. He’s also responsible for taking care of the Time Pieces.”

 

She paused and then continued speaking, knowing she would be in a _lot_ of trouble for revealing this much information. “His name is Tim, Tim the CEO of Time.”

 

Tim had always been at the center of her life for as long as she could remember. He had been the one who taught her how to read and write long before she started school and had given her the hat she always wore.

 

He had also been the one who had assigned her the mission that resulted in her getting stranded on this planet. It had been simple, collect the newly discovered Time Pieces and bring them back to her home planet so they could be refined and used as fuel.

 

It was funny how such a basic mission had completely changed her life.

 

Snatcher looked incredibly confused, especially about the casually mentioned _third_ _eye_ , but motioned for her to keep talking.

 

“I was always confused when I played outside with the other kids.” She remembered the awed looks whenever Tim appeared to take her back “home”, the hushed whispers from the adults whenever she ran up to him, a big smile on her face.

 

The terrified glances that were thrown at the ancient being that had assumed guardianship over her.

 

“Most kids had a mom and a dad, but I didn’t have anything like that.” _Okay, here it comes, just take a deep breath and keep talking._

“All I had was Tim and growing up I didn’t know why, which is when I asked him.” Snatcher leaned down so he was closer to the girl, sensing... _something_ alarming radiating off of her aura.

 

The fear, the terror, the pain, the sorrow.

 

“My parents didn’t want to take care of me after I was born.” Oh god, why did it feel like she was suffocating under those words, like her lungs were collapsing.  She felt the shadow stiffen, the arms wrapped around her tightening as the implications dawned on him, but she kept talking.

 

“They... they.” She was drowning under the weight of the truth she did not want to admit, her very soul slowly breaking as she was forced to acknowledge _it_.

 

_“Tim, why don’t I have a mom and dad?” The four year old asked her guardian._

_The old man look uncharacteristically serious as the question registered in his mind. A frown settled on his face and all three of his eyes closed in concentration. After what felt like an eternity they opened, landing on the child with an intense gaze._

_This was not the first time she had asked him this question, but it was happening more and more as she realized the differences between herself and her peers. Her school had not helped, forcing the concepts of what kind of family children “should” have upon her and making her question much of her life._

_The CEO of Time sighed, he did not want to have this conversation while she was so young, but it looked like he had no choice._

_He gestured for her to follow him and together they made their way up to his private library. It was a small room, full bookshelves covering three of the four walls with the last having a massive window in it, revealing the darkening sky._

_A large sofa sat in front of this window, facing the interior of the room. The man walked forward and sat down on the comfortable cushions, the child copying him only a second later._

_“Hat,” Tim began, that serious expression still on his face. “Sometimes families don’t stay together and split apart. In your case...”_

_He sighed._

_“Your parents are responsible for collecting Time Pieces and are some of the best when retrieving them.” The child nodded, her too big hat flopping back and forth with her movements._

_She knew that the Time Pieces were_ super _important and_ super _powerful, which meant her parents had to be like_ double _super important, or something like that!_

_But that still did not explain why they were not with her._

_“They,” Tim licked his suddenly dry lips. “They decided that collecting the Time Pieces was...”_

_Damn, how does one explain to a child that their parents abandoned them without crushing the kid’s soul?_

_“They didn’t want you to cause trouble while collecting the Time Pieces so they left you here and I decided to take you in.” There, a thorough explanation that did not completely break her heart, but he would have to tell her the entire truth when she got older._

_“So they’re coming back when I get older!” The child cried out, a large smile taking over her face._

_“No, they’re not.” Tim sighed and placed his face in his hand, feeling hundreds of years older. The smile vanished, its light blocked like when the clouds cover the sun._

_“Why not?!” She whined, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes as her frustration grew._

_“Because they’re going to be collecting Time Pieces for a long time and were worried about you...” He was going to have to say it, say the words that would break the heart of the child in front of him._

_Tim wished to spare the girl from this pain for as long as possible, but he was not willing to lie and make her parents seem any better than they actually were. Their success and prestige would not change the garbage creatures that they were._

_“They didn’t want you to hold them back during their missions so they left you here.” The old man sighed, all of his eyes closing as the weight of his words crushed the child before him._

It was her fault. _The dawning realization slammed into the child’s mind forcing the tears to finally fall. It was because of_ her _that her parents were not coming back!_

_The child sobbed weakly against her guardian, faintly aware of one of his hands gently running up and down her back in an attempt to sooth her. Would her weakness continue to drive them away? Would she never get to meet her parents because of how_ pathetic _she was?_

_No, if she was_ stronger _, if she did_ better _, then they would have to come back, right?_

_She would always do her best, she would_ become _the best in everything! Then they would come back! If she proved she would not weigh them down during their travels, that she was not a_ burden _, they would have to come back for her!_

_From that day on the child constantly pushed herself to her limits and beyond, gaining an expertise in acrobatics in the process. The bruises, cuts, and even broken limbs did not halt her determined growth and her reputation quickly soared to new heights._

_She was regarded as one of the most talented children that her home planet had ever seen, her legacy already marked down in history books before she had become a teenager. Surely, she constantly thought to herself, this prestige would draw her parent’s attention to her and show them how strong she had become._

_Show them that she would not be a burden on their travels. Show them that they could all still be a family, even if her parents had been absent for most of her life if they came back for her._

_But they never did, leaving behind a weeping child with broken dreams._

 

“They left me!” Hat Kid sobbed, burrowing into Snatcher’s chest as best she could. “They d-didn’t want me because I was a _burden_!”

 

Snatcher froze, the words echoing through him mind and digging deep into his soul. There was no way the kid was talking about...

 

Why would _anyone_...

 

For a moment the shadow was shocked and then pure, seething rage slammed into him.

 

He wanted nothing more than to find the _pathetic_ creatures that were supposed to be her _parents_ and _rip them to shreds_. His magic reacted to his fury, a purple and yellow haze surrounded him, his hands changed to talons, and his hair sharpened into points.

 

His eyes burned with a, unearthly, yellow glow that promised nothing but pain and suffering for those who crossed his gaze.

 

The change in Snatcher’s aura was perhaps the most terrifying part. The immediate projection of _hate_ , _kill_ , and _protect_ set every creature on edge. The Subconites and Moonjumper were intimately aware of his feelings because of this but they knew better than to intervene.

 

Well, Moonjumper would drop by once Snatcher’s emotions calmed down since he knew if he tried now he would just get yelled at and blasted with magic.

 

The sight inside the warmly lit tree trunk was slightly ironic when you thought about it.

 

If any outsider found the duo, a crying child and an enraged, demon like creature it would be assumed that the creature had made the child cry. Yet to those who lived within the forest and who knew the child and shadow a different conclusion would be reached.

 

The child was grieving and her father was furious at the pain she was going through.

 

Finally Snatcher was able to push aside his own emotions and focus on the weeping child in his arms. Later, he promised himself, he could break down later, but now he had to take care of the kid.

 

_His_ kid.

 

He cooed and hummed softly, rocking her still shaking frame back and forth as he tried to help calm her down. Occasionally she would try to speak through the tears, but the shadow merely hushed her and continued to rock her back and forth, back and forth.

 

It took so long to calm the child down and at one point Snatcher was worried she was going to make herself sick from all the crying. The drool had been bad enough, getting _vomit_ on him would be...

 

Snatcher shuddered.

 

Finally her choked cries began to fade and her breathing evened out. Her body stopped shaking and she let out one final, shuddering sigh. When this happened he stopped rocking her and instead allowed the child to relax in his lap once more. She then surprised the shadow when she continued speaking, her voice sounding far more worn out then it had before.

 

“When I was old enough I looked through the Archives and found out who my parents were.” Hat Kid muttered, tears still leaking out of her eyes while she spoke.

 

“They’re both famous heroes back on my home planet cause of all the Time Pieces they collected. They didn’t want to lose everything just to raise me, so they...” The child let out a shuddering breath and did her best to lock her emotions up once again.

 

He would _kill_ these pathetic excuses for _parents_ if they ever crossed his path, the shadow promised himself. Torture them, rip their souls asunder, all sorts of horrid things that they deserved for what they had put _his_ kid through.

 

How dare they _abandon_ her when they could have easily taken care of her!

 

Hat Kid sighed and rubbed her eyes, clearing out the liquid that was still gathered in the corners. “I can understand why though, I really am a burden aren’t I?”

 

It was nice to know that she could rely on Snatcher for this support, but clearly her parents had deemed this kind of help to be too cumbersome to deal with during their adventures. She would have slowed them down and been a burden.

 

“WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THIS KID!” Snatcher _roared_ , his hair fluffing up in agitation and magic lashing out in dangerous waves.

 

The shadow had officially reached his breaking point.

 

He was _furious_ at what his child had been forced to go through and at the false realities that were embedded now in her mind. It was truly horrifying how damaging the _trauma_ she had lived through had been and how dangerous it would become if allowed to continue.

 

_Like father, like daughter_ , he mentally realized as he noticed more connections between him and the kiddo.

 

The shadow sighed and shoved his emotions to the side once more and glanced down to Hat Kid who was now looking up at him in a combination of confusion and slight awe, as if she could not believe that he continued to think that she was not a _burden_.

 

Ugh, just _thinking_ of the word left a foul taste in his mouth.

 

“What they say or how _important_ they are does not matter!” Snatcher said, now ready to continue his earlier tirade.

 

“But they’re my parents-”

 

“THEY DON’T DESERVE TO BE CALLED THAT!”

 

The air between the duo was tense as the shout continued to echo around them. The shadow was panting, partly from how much magic he was letting out in his emotional state, but mostly from the anger that burned inside of him.

 

_Those_ monsters _have no right to that title!_

Parents were supposed to be _loving_ people who _cared_ about and _protected_ their children _no matter what_!

 

Or at least that was what his recovered memories of his own parents consisted of. His father scolding him about staying up too late to watch the stars and his mother placing bandages on the scratches he got after falling out of a tree.

 

Their warm, joyful smiles, the seemingly endless love in their eyes. Even when the cold winters drew close his family would huddle up in the living room next to the fire place sharing their body heat.

 

Protecting each other in their own way.

 

“Those two don’t _deserve_ your love or thoughts.” He muttered, feeling the weight of the world gathering on his words.

 

“Parents are supposed to love you and take care of you, no matter their struggles, and yours _failed_ because they were _lazy_ and didn’t bother to _try!_ ”

 

Snatcher held Hat Kid tight, snuggling her against his chest. “Honestly kid, you’re super annoying,”

 

Cue laughter from the squirming child.

 

“Terrible at understanding the basics of law,”

 

More laughter.

 

“Plus you have no idea how to cook and I’m terrified that the spaghetti in your fridge will come to life and eat you some day,”

 

She was nearly crying from how hard she was laughing.

 

“But you’re the _furthest_ thing from a burden, more like the complete opposite.” With that he gently released the child so she could look him in the eyes. He smiled down at her and ruffled her hair.

 

“So stop calling yourself that, stop _lying_ to yourself, please.” Snatcher knew he would not be able to resolve this confidence issue so easily, but it had to start somewhere. If he could get the kiddo to stop using that word...

 

“You sound a lot like Tim.” Hat Kid muttered as she looked up into the shadow’s warm eyes.

 

Maybe they were _both_ right, neither Tim nor Snatcher had ever lied to her. Okay there _were_ those contracts she had completed, and the fight between her and the shadow, but still!

 

They genuinely seemed to care about her.

 

At that moment Hat Kid decided to break the promise that had driven her for so many years. It was obvious to her now that it had only brought sorrow to not just her own life, but to the lives of those who cared about her as well.

 

It would take time to change her mentality towards herself, but she would do her best.

 

Besides, she had Snatcher, the Subconites, Moonjumper, and Tim. There were so many people who cared about her and only wanted her to be happy. They did not need her to be successful, not like her parents-

 

No, Snatcher was right, they were _not_ her parents. They were the people who had been responsible for making her, but that was it, their connection to her ended after she was born.

 

Peck, Snatcher was more of a father to her then her biological one had ever been!

 

Not that she would ever say that out loud. She could only imagine the screaming fit that would occur if she ever said anything like that in front of him.

 

“Thank you.” Hat Kid said, happily smiling up at Snatcher.

 

Once again a silent, calm air descended over the duo. Hat Kid basked in the comfort she was receiving from the ghostly figure, knowing it was not something that would happen too often, and Snatcher...

 

“It looks like it’s my turn to tell you a story.” The shadow said, closing his eyes momentarily as he figured out the best way to tell his tale.

 

“You don’t have to!” The child already knew the heartache that was Snatcher’s past, and while she was definitely curious about some of the specifics she honestly did not want to torture the shadow by forcing him to relive his past.

 

“Nah kid, I promised I would, and I don’t break promises.”

 

With that Snatcher sighed and leaned back in his seat, adjusting the blanket that covered Hat Kid. His memories might not have fully returned, the time he had spent with Moonjumper also consisted of recalling his youth growing up in his village, but they would be enough to tell his tale.

 

A tale of sorrow and pain, of anger and jealousy, of betrayal and murder. This history of what was now known as Subcon Forest.

 

The shadow opened his mouth and spoke, or tried to. Before he could speak he found a familiar hat being shoved into his face. He took it and sent a soft smile to the child, immediately understanding what she wanted.

 

A second later the still somewhat wrinkled hat now sat upon Snatcher’s head. He coughed, clearing his nonexistent throat, and began.

 

“Once upon a time...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My guilty pleasure is making characters suffer as you can tell.


	11. Once Upon a Time

_Once upon a time there was a village that existed in a magical forest. The villagers were cut off from the world and very few left their secluded home, but they were happy with what they had. This village was ruled by a King, Queen, and their daughter, and while the kingdom was small, it was prosperous._

“That means the village was flourishing kid, it was successful in being a village.”

_Anyways, the tradition in this kingdom stated that rather than marry someone of noble blood, the heir to the throne would marry someone who had proved that they would be successful in keeping the kingdom and its inhabitants safe from any kind of threats._

_Threats like monsters that might attack, crop failure, storms, and general public strife._

“Why? Well it was the kingdom’s way of keeping the bloodline free of corruption, or something stupid like that. Now stop interrupting me if you want to hear this story!”

_In this village lived a young boy who dreamed of the stars. He was adventurous and curious. He craved knowledge and wished to know how the world around him worked. He questioned everything and explored every nook and cranny of the forest, even the forbidden areas no one dared entered._

_As time went on the boy grew older and his thirst for knowledge grew with him. He abandoned stargazing in favour of reading books. Political journals drew his interest and he quickly became immersed in studying the way political systems around the world worked._

“You might find it boring kid, but he loved it, and what did I say about interruptions?!”

_But then one day disaster struck. While the boy found his joys in life, the village suffered as the King grew ill and died, leaving just the Queen and young Princess left to rule the kingdom. No one knew how their kind ruler had gotten so ill, or why the Queen and Princess were left unaffected by the deadly illness._

_There were rumors though._

_Some whispered that the King had grown greedy and corrupted in his position of power and the forest had grown angry, killing the man before he ruined everything around him. Others said that a dark magic had been cast upon him that had taken his life._

_And perhaps the most troubling, and rare, rumor of all was that the illness was not actually an illness and that the Queen had grown jealous of the newest royal advisor. A young girl who was born on the edges of the village, poor in the materials that she owned but wise in her knowledge of the village’s needs._

_These rumors claimed that in a fit of jealousy and rage the Queen poisoned the King because if she could not have him then no one else could._

“Yeah, she was one crazy old lady, kid.”

_Anyways while the villagers felt sorrow at the news life continued on and the boy continued to learn. He wrote down notes, studied animals and their habits, and learned about the world that existed far beyond the forest that contained his home._

_Soon his parents took notice of his studying and quickly questioned the boy._

_“Why are you reading all those books?” Both of his parents had asked on different occasions, both extremely curious._

_And the boy had responded. “I just wish to learn more about the world.”_

_And then one night during supper his father had asked the question that would change the course of the boy’s life._

_“Do you wish to help people?”_

_The boy had stopped eating, surprised by the random question. He looked up at his father, a confusion colouring his face. “What do you mean father?”_

_His father sighed and leaned back in his chair, a wistful expression on his face. “When you were young I remember having to drag you inside after watching the stars for_ hours _. You always were curious about the world around you and wished to know more, but I have to wonder why.”_

_The boy blinked and cocked his head, hazel eyes narrowing as he thought about the question. He had never really considered_ why _he wanted to learn, he just... did._

_“Possibly.” He answered before returning to the broth his mother had made. Silence reigned for a couple more seconds before his mother spoke up._

_“I believe what your father is asking is if you wish to help our kingdom.”_

_Help the kingdom? Him, the socially awkward boy who had an unrivaled thirst for learning? He shrugged and silence returned once more but this time the boy was thinking, wondering, planning._

_The years rolled by and the questioning youth turned into a bright eyed man still eager to learn about the world he lived in, but he had never forgotten the question his parents had asked him._

_He had seen the strife that would occasionally plague the village, mainly caused by their isolation. His studies had helped to provide answers as to what could help their small kingdom, such as reaching out and connecting with the other civilizations of the world they lived in, but he was not sure how to implement them._

_Of course he could talk to the Royal Adviser, and already had, it just seemed as though nothing had been done since he last spoke to them._

_It was deeply frustrating to watch the lack of progress._

_But if he managed to win the Princesses hand then he might be able to help his kingdom move forward in the world and join the rest of society rather than be left behind in the dirt._

_Isolation had helped to keep his home safe but without any allies..._

_So the man had made his way to the main castle and approached the Royal Adviser with the wish to join the next group of suitors for the Princess. She was two years younger than him but had been unsuccessful so far in finding her future husband._

_Anyone was allowed to express interest in courting the nobility as long as they had not been in trouble with the law before. It was a rule created in an attempt to keep the noble bloodline pure, free of any corruption that might occur when one specific family is in power for too long._

_It also allowed for different perspectives to be in positions of power. Even the poorest beggar could express interest in courting thanks to these rules._

_One the day that suitors could gather and attempt to impress the Princess he had borrowed his father’s old red tunic, the fanciest one his family owned, and set out for the castle._

_One of two, actually._

_The castle the man was currently going to was used only for formal affairs and social gatherings, it also housed the rulers of the kingdom. The second castle had been created as an emergency shelter for the villagers who lived there as a way to protect them from threats._

_It also served as storage for surplus food grown during the warmer months incase winter dragged on for longer than usual or if they encountered a food shortage._

_So he made his way to the castle, encountering other villagers who had hopes to woo the Princess, mostly for their own gain rather than the betterment of the future of their kingdom. He was slightly disappointed, but not completely surprised._

_It was why the courting process was so rigorous. To keep out those who wanted the throne for their personal gain._

_Once he arrived the guards quickly checked him over for any weapons he might be hiding and when he was cleared he entered the stone structure. The walls held lit torches and the floor was covered by a royal purple carpet, leading him to where the Princess and his competition was._

_The man walked through the courtyard, checking out the others who were there with him no doubt also vying to win the Princess’s attention and hand._

_And then he saw..._ her _._

_She had been standing off to the side watching the activities go on. Her ruby eyes ran over the various suitors that had already shown up with what he believed to be disdain. Her beautiful blonde hair shone in the afternoon sun and the man felt his heart lurch in his chest._

_Like he was being led by a string, he walked over to the Princess, easily dodging anyone who got in his path. Her figure was captivating, mystifying, and her aura..._

_She radiated a strength only nobility could have, exotic and captivating._

_On his walk he noticed another figure standing near the Princess, one worn with age but emitting the same regal air._

_It was the Queen._

_She looked very similar to her daughter, both having the same shimmering golden hair and pale skin but her eyes were a rich amethyst colour. Then the man noticed something a bit strange about her gaze._

_It seemed blank and her eyes seemed to absorb the sunlight, giving them a dead appearance._

_Before he could stop or properly process exactly what he was seeing, the Princess moved. She stepped towards him, the previous look on her face disappearing and being replaced by curiosity and... shyness?_

_Her blush was nearly as red as her eyes when she reached him. “Hello.”_

_Her voice was soft and sweet, and he felt his own blush rising to his cheeks in response. “Hello your majesty.”_

_His voice cracked during the greeting._

_Shit!_

“Snatcher! Watch your language!”

 

_Uh, heck! He meant heck because he would never curse in front of a child._

“That’s better!”

_Anyways the Princess did not appear to be aware of his embarrassment and offered her gloved hand to him. He gently took it and shook, feeling his heart throb in his chest the entire time._

What was this strange feeling? _The man wondered to himself. His mother had often told him about love and infatuation, how she and his father had met, but this seemed... different._

_It was far stronger than the emotions his mother had talked about, and then there was that tugging sensation._

_He shook off his thoughts and introduced himself to the Princess, a warm smile on his face while he spoke. She told him how nice his name was and then guided him to one of the tables placed within the courtyard. They both sat down and began speaking, talking about their families and interests._

_They spent the rest of the afternoon together._

_The Queen quickly dismissed the other suitors once she noticed how much attention her daughter was paying to the man, a smile appearing on her face as she took in how comfortable and relaxed they were with each other._

_It was the first time she had smiled since her husband died._

_The man continued to visit the Princess whenever he could, often escorted by the royal guards to make sure he did not harm the heir but once it was clear he had no evil intentions towards the Princess he was allowed to go wherever he pleased._

_The library was one of the places he visited most often._

_Typically the Princess, or Vanessa as he had to constantly remember to call her by her_ name _not title, would join him on these excursions, cuddling against his side as he read either to himself or aloud._

_The duo often went on trips, or dates as they were unofficially called, to the village and forest, smiling and laughing the entire time. A month after they had first met the man publically announced his intentions towards the Princess and she accepted._

_The next step for the new royal couple was the courting process, a period in which the new Prince would begin to learn about taking care of the kingdom and how he would engage with the politics that ran it._

_He was eager to learn and Vanessa,_ his _Princess, was nothing but supportive during this time._

_Of course this relationship was not perfect. There were many instances where misunderstandings were turned into fights, such as the “Bacon Incident”, but the couple managed to sort them out and continued their courtship._

_While this was going on the Queen began to grow weaker, an illness taking her body and forcing her to waste away._

_Magic, medicine, nothing seemed to help._

_And then four months after the Princess had found her Prince..._

_She died, leaving behind a mourning daughter and the man who did his best to comfort her._

_This period of sorrow did nothing but make the connection between them stronger with the Prince often watching over his Princess to make sure she stayed healthy through her period of mourning._

_The now empty throne was the catalyst for their courtship to proceed at an unprecedented pace. Their subjects needed a ruler, and neither Prince nor Princess could take the throne without being married._

_The royal couple found themselves preforming all of the ceremonies needed for the new Prince to inherit the throne and join the royal family. They danced under the stars and pronounced their love, attended multiple royal duties together so they could properly learn what needed to be done, and visited their subjects, soothing any worries or fears they might have about the new couple taking power._

_In an attempt to better prepare for his new position of power, and to make sure he could help his people to the best of his abilities, the Prince also attended school during this, focusing on law and political matters._

_The Princess was not too happy about this change but she supported him nonetheless._

_Through the rituals of the kingdom, the Prince technically became the King in all but name as the final step for the royal couple to properly assume power would be to get married. Both Prince and Princess, still deeply in love, swore themselves to the other and planned to marry in the summer, after his learning was complete._

_Then everything went downhill._

_The Prince soon found himself swamped with work, be it from preparing to take over the kingdom or from his schooling. Unfortunately this left less time for him to be with his Princess and while the Prince did not mind..._

_The Princess certainly did._

_He was unaware of her obsessively checking to see if he had sent her any letters, of her frantic and crazed diary entries, of her deteriorating mental state until it was too late._

_It was sad how quickly she crumbled and soon it was not just the Princess but the villagers who also eagerly awaited the return of the Prince._

_They had noticed the..._ instability _of their Princess and feared the worst if the Prince did not return._

_Time passed slowly and quickly for all parties involved. For the Prince it seemed to move in leaps and bounds, but for the Princess and their subjects each day felt like an eternity of waiting and wanting._

_It was in the spring with approximately one month left of his schooling that the Prince decided to surprise his Princess with a visit back to the castle. He had told as few people as possible so no one could accidentally ruin his plan._

_He had reached the town square, wearing a hooded cloak so none of his subjects would recognize him, when the enchanting scent of flowers surrounded him._

_Flowers, that would be the_ perfect _gift to get Vanessa!_

_Petunias were her favourite and bellflowers were his own. The colour combination of white and purple would look lovely together!_

_He grinned and walked over to the flower girl, his smile growing even wider when he realized he recognized her. It was Christine, she had lived near his house while they were growing up._

_“Hello Christine!” The man cheerfully greeted, giving his old friend a hug. Christine, a pale redhead with freckles spattered across the bridge of her nose, immediately hugged him back, a massive smile appearing on her face in response._

_“Hey you goof, it’s been forever since I last saw you! I hope you haven’t forgotten about your subjects at that fancy school!” She teased, laughing when she noticed the blush appearing on his face._

_“Christine, I would never forget about you!” He cried out, hugging his friend tighter and ignoring her laughter the entire time._

_“Oh relax, I was just joking!” She said, playfully shoving him. “So what do you want?”_

_“I would like a bouquet of petunias and bellflowers please!” He replied, a large smile appearing on his face as he spoke._

_Hesitation suddenly appeared on the woman’s face and he paused, concerned by the change in her demeanor. “Christine are you-”_

_“Are you sure you want both of those flowers together?” She interrupted._

_“Of course,” He replied. “Petunias are Vanessa’s favourite kind of flower, and you know I love bellflowers! Besides the colours would look gorgeous together. Why do you ask?”_

_“Just because something looks beautiful doesn’t mean it works.” She cryptically replied._

_The Prince opened his mouth but did not know what to say, thoroughly concerned and confused by her behavior. What in the world was she talking about? Beauty and how well something functioned might not always go together, but these were just_ flowers _!_

_Or was she talking about something else..._

_Christine sighed and shook her head, dispelling the troubling aura that had surrounded her. She quickly got to work creating the bouquet, knowing where the flowers were right away. “Never mind.”_

_His mouth was still open, trying to figure out what to say, when the flowers were shoved into his hands. He jumped, nearly dropping the beautiful bouquet in the process. “Oh! Thank you very much!”_

_“And,” She started to say, a smile returning to her face as she looked up at him. “Please don’t work too hard.”_

_He grinned, tilting his head to the side as he spoke. “I would never Christine, now I believe I owe you some money.”_

_Christine chuckled, shaking her head at his naturally goofy behavior, and held a hand out for the payment. The Prince placed the golden coins in her hand, holding them there for an extra second as how much she had been paid registered in her mind._

_“You don’t need to pay me extra, dummy!” She scoffed, but that smile on her face never faded._

_He laughed and then heard what sounded like a gasp coming from the alley he had walked through to get here. Confused, he looked to the side and noticed a familiar green dress vanishing into the darkness._

_Well it looked like his surprise was ruined._

_He hastily waved goodbye to Christine, unaware of the worried look that had appeared on her face when she also caught sight of the fleeing form of the Princess, and swiftly made his way to the manor he knew Vanessa would be staying at._

_Since her mother had died it had been difficult for her to continue living in the castle. The many memories she had shared with her mother had practically been embedded into the very foundation of the structure. It was torturous having to be constantly reminded of the loss._

_So they had decided to move to the manor and stay there until their marriage._

_During his flight back to his home his hood had fallen off, exposing his face. Of course he greeted as many as his subjects as he could during his sprint, but his main focus was on getting back to Vanessa._

_When he reached the manor he rushed up the stairs and through the main doors, bouquet still in hand. He quickly entered the main room, panting as he did so. There he found his Princess, facing away from him and radiating malice._

_“My love are you alright?” He asked, walking closer to her. He reached a hand out to her shoulder, but before he could touch her she flinched, harshly shifting away._

_“As if I could be alright after what_ you did _.” The Princess hissed. “After everything we’ve been through how could you do that?!”_

_“Do what?” The Prince cried out, not understanding what she was talking about. What had he done to hurt her so? Was it how long he had been away for? But she had been so supporting-_

_“YOU CHEATED ON ME WITH THAT,_ WHORE _!” She shrieked._

_Understanding bloomed within his mind, but before he could speak up Vanessa issued her command, damning him to a fate he did not deserve._

_“Guards,” She said, her voice devoid of any warmth. “Take him away.”_

_They arrived suddenly, as if they had appeared from the shadows of the room. The royal guards marched forward and each of them grabbed one of the Prince’s arms, bruising the delicate limbs in their harsh grip, forcing him to drop the bouquet._

_”Vanessa!” He had screamed, voice cracking as tears poured down his face. “Vanessa please, this is all just a misunderstanding! Listen to me!”_

_But the Princess did not, for the same sickness of the mind that had taken her mother had also consumed her. What remained of the shy, compassionate girl he had fallen in love with was gone, replaced by a beast corrupted by jealousy and hatred._

_The monster that his love had become told the guards to lock the Prince up in the basement, chain him to the walls so he could not escape._

_He was dragged down the stairs, struggling the entire time, and carried over to a wall. From there the guards cuffed his arms and legs against the freezing stones and then added extra chains around his torso to further pin him down._

_Then they left, trapping the Prince in darkness and despair._

_Days passed and the Prince still could not move, weighted down by both the chains attached to his body and the pain in his heart._

_There was only one time when the Princess visited him in his cold, damp prison, and she had_ changed _since he had last seen her._

_Her eyes had that same blank look in them that the Queen’s had when he had first met her. Cold, unresponsive, uncaring, like voids that would rip his soul apart._

_Dead, her eyes looked_ dead _._

_An oddly dark aura surrounded her body, another thing that had changed since he had last seen her, and she looked a bit..._ unhinged _. He struggled to think of something,_ anything _to say in order to get her to release him, but came up with nothing._

_She approached him, ungloved hands covered in a black and red haze, radiating power and reeking of evil. He struggled against his bonds in an attempt to back away, terror rearing up in his heart._

What was she going to do to him?

_Then her magic seared into him, locking the chains even tighter against both his body and the wall, drawing blood from where they touched his flesh. The icy magic burned more than a fire, destroying any coherency that had been left in his mind from the raw agony._

_He shouted, tears leaking out of the corners of his eyes and turning to ice in the cool air._

_“VANESSA, PLEASE! MAKE IT STOP!” His screams for mercy tore through the frigid air._

_But there was none and after her magic had sealed him against the wall she left, not saying a word to her former lover._

_Unknown to him, his subjects had sent out multiple search parties once they learned that their Prince had gone missing. Unfortunately they could not find him no matter how hard they searched and even though a few suspected the Princess, they did not have the power to confront her._

_The trapped Prince suffered a slow death. Dehydration, starvation, and hypothermia were his only visitors in that damp space._

_He tried to lick the water off of the stone walls around him, twisting his head to the side and forcing the chains around his neck to harshly rip his skin apart, but found little relief in his attempts._

_His stomach ached, having not eaten for days, and he could taste blood. The lack of water was making his throat dry out, tearing it whenever he tried to talk._

_And then there was the cold._

_Biting through his soaked attire. Digging deeply into his flesh. He was so cold it felt like his body was burning._

_It seemed as though the Princess had forgotten about him, too busy dealing with the distraught subjects of the Prince, her own fractured mind, and the dark aura that had begun to take over her. More time passed..._

_And one day she reached her breaking point._

_Fed up with the constant meetings with her subjects, tired of the “searches” for the missing Prince, the darkness that lingered in her heart finally consumed her. The transformed Princess, now a true husk of her former self, attacked, striking out at everything around her._

_And in this case it was the kingdom that quickly suffered._

_Ice began to incase every structure, moving swiftly and soundlessly to consume everything in its path. What few villagers noticed the encroaching substance were barely able to flee with their lives, narrowly escaping across the bridge that connected the main part of their kingdom to the forest._

_The ice stopped once it reached the bridge but the few survivors did not feel safer. They had lost both their Prince and Princess, and now they had no homes to go back to. The kingdom had been destroyed, they had lost everything. They cried out, the sounds of sorrow and grief bouncing off of the trees around them, echoing through the forest._

_And then a set of yellow eyes opened, lighting up the gloom of the leaking basement._

_The frozen body of the Prince shuddered as it moved for the first time in days. His skin tore apart and ripped open, thick blood oozing out of the new cuts._

_What had awoken him from his deadly slumber?_

_The screams of his subjects shot through his mind, their begging and pleas tearing his fragile soul apart. The ice... the_ ice _._

_How dare she?_

_His chest heaved with each breath. Eyes narrowed and dark shadows danced around his form, so close to completely consuming him._

_How_ dare _she?_

_Anger, rage, and hatred pounded through his heart, heating up his dying body._

HOW DARE SHE!

_The Prince roared._

_It was a sound no human should have been capable of making, a shriek of damnation and rage that promised pain and suffering for all who heard it. His anger at the world, at what_ Vanessa _had done, manifested and lashed out at the chains binding him._

_The shadows around him struck, sinking into his flesh,_ changing _him!_

_The hatred that had consumed his every waking thought and the magic that had awoken within him continued to viciously break the binding spell Vanessa had placed on him._

_His body began to move as the darkness seeped into him, fighting desperately against the chains that kept him bound to the wall and the war that raged in his heart, conflicting emotions battling within him._

_He hated her._ He loved her. _He despised everything she had done to his subjects._ He hoped she was alright. _How dare she do this to him?_ Why hadn’t she trusted him?

_Alas, this torment was too much for his worn down body, brought so close to death due to his horrible treatment._

_And with that the Prince died, alone in the darkness, hating and loving the woman who had forced such a fate upon him._

_But this was not the end._

_As his frozen corpse hung from the wall the magic that had gathered within him continued to grow and swell, fed by the emotions that lingered in his heart._

_This power continued to grow until..._

CRACK!

_An explosion of shadows erupted from the still body, completely snapping the chains that had kept the body bound and allowing it to drop, landing with a_ splash _into the water below. There it lay, partially submerged._

_The shadows above the body began to twist and turn, changing shape until they resembled a sinuous, ghostly form. Those burning yellow eyes opened once again and the shadow took in his new form._

_The tail, the hair around his neck, the talons, everything was foreign to him, and he could_ float!

_He was mystified for a moment, and then he remembered exactly what had led to this new..._ development _._

_The shadowy Prince snarled, wishing with all of his new power that he could make_ Vanessa _pay for what she had done, but he had other matters to attend to before he could begin to plan his revenge._

_His subjects were out there, lost and confused. He had to help them first. His subjects would always come first, it was the duty of a Prince-_

_No._

_A_ king _took care of his people, was in control of the kingdom. Vanessa had proven herself mentally unstable, unfit to take the throne and rule which meant the duty fell to him and since he was king in all but name..._

_A glimmer of light in the frigid water caught his eye, and the shadow floated down to get a better look at it._

_It was a crown,_ his _crown. It must have been knocked off of his body when it fell._

_He reached a clawed hand down and picked it up, admiring how the gold glowed in the near darkness. A sinister grin appeared on his face as he considered the object in his grasp._

_And a king needs a crown, after all._

_Before he could put the glowing item on, he_ sensed _footsteps approaching the entrance of the basement. It had to be_ Vanessa _, she must have heard him breaking out of his chains, and he had to escape._

_He would not let her torture him again!_

_With that the shadow phased through the walls that had kept him prisoner for so long, somehow bringing his crown with him, and entered the frozen wasteland that the area around the manor had become._

_He swiftly made his way to the forest, knowing that was where all of his subjects would be by pure instinct alone. It was like he could sense every one of them, knew exactly where they were because of the bizarre magic he had gained after his death._

_As he floated through the air thoughts raced through his mind. There was so much to be done, his subjects needed new homes, what remained of the kingdom was extremely vulnerable and defenses had to be created..._

_He had a new kingdom to rule, one to create from the ground up so it could support and protect its subjects. He would be their ruler, their protector, their_ king _._

_The King of Subcon Forest, he liked the sound of that._

_The shadow smiled._

“The end.” Snatcher sighed, feeling drained after telling his tale. “So, what do you think kid?”

 

Hat Kid cringed slightly, ducking underneath her blanket. “I, uh, kinda already knew some of that.”

 

_What?!_

 

“How?!” Snatcher wheezed, slightly clawed hands trembling. When had the kiddo learned his secret? Was it during her trip to the mansion?

 

Hat Kid then began to explain the properties of the Time Pieces and what breaking one might do. She then focused on what Time Pieces that had broken on _people_ would do, the stories that would be created based off of their memories.

 

“Well it didn’t land on me.” The shadow said once the explanation was complete. It might have landed on one of the Subconites, but none of them had reported anything like that happening.

 

Perhaps it had been a Dweller, their minds were fragmented from the traumatic events that had happened so long ago, but their memories might be intact enough to remember the incident...

 

“Do you still love her?” The child in his lap asked, starling him out of his thoughts. Snatcher glanced down at her, confusion marring his features, and she explained.

 

“The creepy old lady. Do you still love her after everything she did to you?”

 

_Did he?_ The shadow thought to himself. Did he still love the woman who had shown him such warmth, such love in life? The one who had encouraged his passion in studying law?

 

The one who had tormented him and trapped him in that basement, the one who had starved him and let him freeze to death down there.

 

“No.” He answered truthfully.

 

Snatcher would never be able to love her again after everything she had done not just to him but to the innocent people who lived in Subcon. Her actions had cost so many lives and destroyed their home.

 

If Vanessa had truly loved him then she would have confronted him rather than made an assumption.

 

She had never been willing to fully communicate with him.

 

Hat Kid smiled and patted the arm closest to her, comforting the shadow in the best way she could. Normally she might have tried to hug him, but the child was feeling a bit worn out from everything that had happened.

 

For a moment she wanted to ask Snatcher what had happened to his parents and the other people he had mentioned by name during his tale but decided not to after thinking about it.

 

Surely if his parents were still around she would have learned that already, or Christine....

 

Had Vanessa...

 

The shadow gently ran his fingers through her hair, murmuring words of comfort to her for some reason. Confusion ran through her mind as she tried to figure out why he was doing this. His talons carefully passed over her cheeks and came away stained with a clear liquid.

 

She was crying.

 

Hat Kid sniffled, tears falling faster as the weight of her grief sunk in. It was horrible learning more about Snatcher’s past, but it also helped her understand his behavior better. The abrasiveness when he met someone new, the various traps he had laid out around the forest, and even _why_ he used contracts so much.

 

He had been hurt so much in the past by someone he was supposed to be able to trust, it was better to be safe than sorry when dealing with someone he had never encountered before.

 

And clearly that safety net involved the use of contracts and stealing someone’s soul to make sure they were not trying to hurt the Subconites.

 

Her tears subsided and she let out a loud yawn, rubbing her eyes as exhaustion began to pull her under.

 

“Sleep, kiddo, we’ll talk more when you wake up.” Snatcher said, gently running his talons through her hair.

 

The child offered him one last smile and then curled up, huddling both under the blanket and against his chest. It was an adorable sight the way she smooshed her face against him. Now hopefully she would not drool on him again...

 

Snatcher carefully moved the blanket so it better covered the sleeping child in his arms. Once he was certain she was at no risk of getting uncomfortably cold he leaned back in his chair, more than ready for sleep to take him.

 

It had been a long, tiring night. Hopefully they would be able to take it easy tomorrow and give the kid a chance to recover from tonight. The shadow sighed and drifted off to sleep.

 

Or he would have if not for a familiar, smiling figure.

 

Moonjumper arrived with a burst of magic and light, immediately waking the duo up.

 

Hat Kid jumped up with a yelp, blanket flying off of her thanks to the sudden movement. Snatcher sat up, not just from the noise but also due to the uncomfortable sensation of the kid’s boots digging into his chest.

 

“Hello there!” The corpse cheerfully greeted, ignoring the glares Snatcher was sending him. “I sensed everyone felt better so I decided to visit!”

 

“Moonjumper!” Hat Kid cried out, a smile swiftly appearing on her face, happy to see her “uncle” after such a rough night. For some reason the goofy corpse never failed to put a smile on her face.

 

He had such an infectious, happy aura!

 

Moonjumper grinned and floated forward, eagerly scooping the child up into his arms and cuddling her close. “Hello, o hatted child!”

 

“I believe you were upset earlier, which is why I decided to visit.” The smile fell from her face as Hat Kid recalled her previous state of distress. “But I have a plan to cheer you up~”

 

_Huh?_

 

The child glanced up at Moonjumper, tilting her head to the side in confusion. The creature holding her smiled and what he said next made her eyes light up and a grin return to her face.

 

“Let’s get some ice cream!”

 

Hat Kid let out a cheer and hugged the smiling creature. Ice cream! She had not had _any_ ice cream from this planet before! She wondered how good it would taste. Eating ice cream in the winter had always been a guilty pleasure of hers, especially when Tim would get some with her!

 

The CEO of Time _always_ got ice cream headaches and it was hilarious to watch him freak out over them.

 

“I don’t think so!” Snatcher shouted, floating up out of his chair so he could look Moonjumper in the eye.

 

“But ice cream makes _everything_ better!” Moonjumper cried. “Or it does unless you are lactose intolerant.”

 

He glanced down at the child in his arms. “Might you happen to be?”

 

Hat Kid shook her head. “Nope, we’re good to go!”

 

With that Moonjumper gathered his magic and got ready to teleport, but before the duo could start their search for ice cream the shadow made his move!

 

Snatcher lunged forward, talons outstretched to take the child back. There was no way in _hell_ he was about to let Moonjumper run off with her to some obscure place just to get some ice cream! An exhausted hat brat with a sugar rush would be an absolute _nightmare!_

 

But it appeared as though Moonjumper had already predicted Snatcher’s line of thought since as soon as the shadow got close red strings appeared around him, swiftly tying him up and preventing any movement.

 

In the process Hat Kid’s hat was knocked off of his head, but before it could hit the ground a string swiftly caught it and brought it back to the child, gently placing it on her head.

 

“Do you have anything to say to Snatcher, child?” Moonjumper asked, a mischievous grin on his face. She took a moment to think about what to say to the one who had already helped her so much, it would be nice to say thank you or something along those lines, but it would be so much more _satisfying_ to tease him.

 

She could just imagine his loud shrieking, the flustered look on his face, the way his hair would puff up and make him look like an angry cat!

 

Teasing it is then!

 

“Bye dad!” Hat Kid shouted, a massive smile on her face as she waved to him.

 

Snatcher, still tangled, sharply looked up and wheezed when he realized what the child had said. He squirmed even more in an attempt to reach the escaping hat brat and figure out exactly what she meant by that.

 

Had she been _joking_ or _serious_ , the shadow did not know.

 

“Hey kid, get back here! What the heck do you mean?!” He shrieked, wiggling back and forth in the air with all of his might.

 

Rather than respond Hat Kid stuck her tongue out at the trapped shadow and then gently tapped Moonjumper’s arm, telling him she was ready to go. With that the duo vanished in a burst of magic, a shout following them as they disappeared.

 

“MOONJUMPER!”

 

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Meanwhile in a manor not too far from Snatcher’s home the only inhabitant of this frozen wasteland was not doing good to put it mildly. Her mental state had been deteriorating since she had locked her loved one up, essentially murdering him, but now it was breaking down even further.

 

Ice covered large portions of each room, completely coating much of the furniture and leaving the ground a slippery mess. Perhaps the most disturbing part of this new development were the sheets of paper that were buried under the ice.

 

Each one had words frantically scrawled in black ink. The words themselves were messy, consisting of jagged lines that cut into the paper, scattered thoughts that had been recorded in an attempt to remember them.

 

But there was one that stood out from the rest.

 

The writing was far neater and seemed to have been created during a period where her mind had been a bit more put together. The words almost seemed prophetic in nature and absolutely _reeked_ of magic.

 

_To you I give my heart and soul,_

_For strings of fate unite us, bold._

_Our connection is great, our love is strong_

_For you my magic will sing its song._

_But beware if you test my heart,_

_Malice will arrive with dark art,_

_Sorrow, rage, jealousy, pain._

_Blood shall soon paint the stage._

_Fragile heart, weakened soul._

_Without you I will never be whole._

_Mind corrupt from the pain inside,_

_Love is needed to bridge the divide._

Gnarled fingers covered in a dark, smoky substance traced each word with care, not feeling the biting cold that sunk into each digit from the ice that covered the paper.

 

She had not been able to feel anything for years, after all.

 

A pained noise escaped the hunched figure, recalling all the memories she had shared with her Prince. The warmth, the love...

 

It had been just as her mother described, for the first time in her life she felt _whole_ when she had met her Prince.

 

Her Prince...

 

_HER PRINCE!_

 

The ice shattered beneath her grip and a whirlwind of snow was thrown up around the outside of the manor, magic lashing out in response to the maelstrom of emotions that bubbled beneath her skin.

 

She needed him, she loved him, she wanted him, he belonged to her and _nobody else!_

 

She would be whole again.

 

_She had to be._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven’t written about Vanessa in a while so I decided to give her a small segment here. 
> 
> Best uncle Moonjumper will always make everything better (I can’t wait to write more of him)! Well the angst is done (for now) so the next chapter will consist of our regularly scheduled fluff! Please leave a review telling me what you think of this chapter, it was a monster to write!
> 
> Also, I love flower symbolism ;)


	12. Family

It had been a day since Hat Kid and Snatcher had revealed their pasts to each other, each one feeling lighter after sharing the emotional burden they had been carrying for years. In turn even the air felt clearer in a sense, the overhanging pungent scent of grief fading as the shadow accepted something about his past he had not confronted for years.

 

It was freeing to realize that he did not love _Vanessa_ anymore, like a crushing weight had been lifted off of him.

 

Of course the inhabitants of Subcon were extremely curious as to what had gone on, they had all felt the emotional turmoil their Boss, and even the newbie, had gone through, but no one wanted to ask in case they further upset anyone.

 

Well, no one except Moonjumper that is.

 

The corpse had been more than a little worried about how the child and his other self had been doing during their talk and once he had sensed that they were finished he immediately dropped by to check on them. He had been happy to help Hat Kid get over the remnant emotional turmoil by taking her to get ice cream and Snatcher’s protests had made it even better.

 

He was going to be the best uncle ever!

 

After getting some ice cream from Mafia Town, a triple scoop of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry for the child, the duo had hung out for a little bit. Moonjumper had eagerly chatted about his new home at Subcon Village.

 

It was also a tree stump, a bit larger than the others considering his size, and had glowing lights all over it. The inside was a circular room that had a hammock, a couple drawing hung up on the walls, and some books scattered about.

 

Even after being torn in two both parts of the Prince still loved reading.

 

He had, naturally, told her that she was welcome to visit whenever she wanted, even if it was just to take a nap.

 

For some reason she then started crying.

 

Moonjumper promptly picked up the child, careful to avoid getting any ice cream on both of their clothes, and hugged her in an attempt to help her calm down. It was at this point it became clear to the corpse that he would have to find out exactly what she and Snatcher had spoken about.

 

Just not right now.

 

It took several minutes for her to calm down. When her tears were dry she squirmed in his arms, a signal for him to put her down, and they went back to enjoying the starlit sky. The child pressed herself against him and he gently placed an arm over her shoulders.

 

This continued for some time, soft words being spoken between bites of ice cream and the occasional brain freeze that would occur.

 

Once the ice cream was finished Hat Kid fell asleep against him, curling up so she was fully leaning on his side with one of his gangly arms draped over her. He smiled, basking in the amount of trust she had placed in him, before picking her up and taking her back to Subcon.

 

Apparently Snatcher had been pacing, worried about the child he had essentially adopted, while they were gone. Not that he would ever tell Moonjumper that, but a helpful Subconite did, chuckling the entire time.

 

Supposedly he had even been _threatening_ the corpse, which amused Moonjumper to no end.

 

So Hat Kid had been dropped off to the shadow, who had quickly checked her over for any other signs of distress and grilled Moonjumper on what he had done with her. He had simply laughed and vanished, returning to his home in a flash of magic.

 

After that he had waited for the fresh wounds to heal over before picking at them once again, so to speak.

 

A new day dawned in Subcon Forest, today, and Moonjumper rushed over to Snatcher’s home, mind buzzing with the dozens of questions he wished to ask about his niece and her past. Curiosity and concern nagged at him and there were several times he ended up bumping into trees because he had not been paying enough attention to his surroundings.

 

There was a part of him that _begged_ that the child’s past was not as horrible as it appeared to be.

 

When he had reached the shadow he was more than a little relieved to sense how much better his aura felt. It was lighter, reflecting the disappearance of the turmoil that had polluted his soul for so long.

 

Both the forest and Snatcher were finally healing, and it was all thanks to Hat Kid.

 

He had asked Snatcher to tell him about what he and the child had discussed. At first the shadow had refused, obviously wanting to keep such a conversation private, but after some pressing Snatcher relented and began to tell him what he had learned.

 

The blatant parental neglect, the guardian she had back on her home planet, the horrible expectations she had placed on herself to get some recognition from those who were responsible for her birth. It was distressing to hear what the child had been through so far, and she was only _nine_!

 

Typically Moonjumper was the most pacifistic creature one might encounter within Subcon, preferring tricks and jokes over actually _fighting_ someone, but after hearing such a tale...

 

He was more than a little bit annoyed to say the least.

 

He made a mental note to thank this Tim fellow when they met. He certainly owed the old man quite a bit for taking care of his niece, trying to protect her from the horrible decision her parents had made. It would be something to consider in the future when Hat Kid managed to collect all of those shiny hourglasses she was looking for.

 

Though she had not really been looking for any recently...

 

“Well,” Moonjumper sighed, folding his arms as he spoke. “I cannot say that I am surprised, but still...”

 

The signals Hat Kid had been putting out, combined with the stressed emotions her aura was radiating, had led him to this conclusion before she had met him. It had not been that difficult to decipher what everything meant, even if the conclusion was something he had hoped was not true.

 

It hurt, to say the least, knowing what the child that had helped them out so much had been through.

 

That they had not been there to help her in her greatest time of need.

 

“But in the end what’s done has been done and we cannot change it no matter how much we want to.” Moonjumper sighed once again, feeling extremely drained despite the conversation being relatively short compared to the one between Hat Kid and Snatcher.

 

He could only _imagine_ how exhausting that one must have been! It also explained why the child had fallen asleep against him after finishing her ice cream...

 

Snatcher huffed and messed with the hair around his neck, distracted by the thoughts that plagued his mind. There was so much more to the kid then he had previously thought, and it drove him mad that he had not noticed these signs earlier on.

 

It was funny how a few weeks ago he would have been questioning why the heck he cared so much about one dumb kid.

 

He certainly had changed...

 

Moonjumper cleared his throat, breaking the shadow out of his thoughts. “But, we _can_ help things get better, now.”

 

“What the heck are you talking about?” Snatcher asked, confusion lacing his voice. “Help how?”

 

“Well that is quite simple, dear Snatcher, we BECOME her family!” Moonjumper shouted, sticking a hand up into the air while he spoke, a massive smile appearing on his face.

 

“No way Moonboy, we can’t!” The shadow shouted, glaring as he spoke. He cared about the hat brat, but not _that_ much!

 

 

...Right?

 

“Why not?” The corpse whined.

 

“BECAUSE I SAID SO!” Yes! He absolutely had no parental feelings towards the kiddo, regardless of any earlier comments!

 

_Not because he was in no way, shape, or form, prepared enough to be a parent!_

 

“But she called you dad, and you _know_ she’s your daughter~” Snatcher’s eye twitched.

 

He was going to _kill_ that blue skinned annoyance!

 

But before the shadow could even attempt to murder his other self, Moonjumper continued speaking. “Snatcher, the connection between the two of you does not lie, it is a reflection of how much you trust her, and how much she trusts you!”

 

The shadow paused, allowing the corpse to continue speaking. “Snatcher she _knows_ you will protect her no matter what! She feels _safe_ around you!”

 

An uncomfortable feeling emerged in Snatcher’s chest, it was like his nonexistent heart was being squeezed.

 

“Why do you want this so bad, Moonboy _?_ ” He was genuinely curious as to why his other self was arguing for this so hard. The corpse had known the child for not even a week, and yet he was insisting that he become the kid’s uncle!

 

Was it possible the kid had formed her own bond with Moonjumper in the same way that she had formed one with him?

 

“Because I have felt the change in both your and her auras. Regardless of whether you are aware of it or not you are _healing_ each other, and in turn helping our people get past a sort of trauma that has plagued them for centuries!” Moonjumper replied, a stern expression now taking over his face.

 

Snatcher cringed, he could sense the rant Moonboy was about to break into.

 

“Snatcher my friend I understand that you do not wish to make yourself vulnerable once again after all you have been through, what _we_ have been through, but you already care for this child as if she was your own.” He opened his mouth to argue but the corpse continued speaking. 

 

“Your _soul_ has accepted her as your daughter!” He shouted, ignoring Snatcher’s attempts to make him quiet down.

 

“And even if you do not believe that you deserve the chance to be happy because you feel guilty for failing to protect our people, does she not deserve the right to have a family?” Moonjumper concluded, a smirk now present on his face and the shadow immediately understood why.

 

He knew he had won the argument.

 

Snatcher was not about to deprive the hat brat of the right to be a family with whomever she wanted to have one with, especially after all she had done for them. He might not have been obligated to pay her for those contracts, but there was still a sense of owing her that lingered no matter how hard he tried to dispel it.

 

But this sense of repayment was not what drove the shadow to look after her or further strengthen his connection with the child, it was the bond they had developed over time, the bond they now shared.

 

He had been there for her when she was ill or needed help, and in return she had done her best to help him heal from his past.

 

At the shadow’s silence Moonjumper began to get nervous, worried his words would not reach him.

 

“Please Snatcher, do not let this chance to finally be _happy_ slip away.” The corpse begged, a sorrowful expression appearing on his face.

 

“But what if I’m not ready.” Snatcher whispered, an uncomfortable amount of vulnerability being projected by his body language as he crossed his arms and hunched over.

 

“What if I fail to keep her safe, what if I’m a bad dad?”

 

Moonjumper frowned.

 

It was obvious to him that Snatcher would be, and already had been, a wonderful father for the hatted child. He had comforted her, taken care of her when she needed the help, it was just the experience he was lacking, and that would be gained with time!

 

But this decision was not his to make, it was up to Snatcher to decide if he was ready.

 

Meanwhile said shadow was currently having a small mental breakdown. Yes, he had acknowledged he felt protective over the kiddo and called her his daughter before, but that was _different_!

 

To call her his daughter aloud was something that terrified him, to accept that role in her life, that _responsibility_.

 

He had already failed to take care of his people, what if he failed her?

 

Hat Kid’s tear stained face appeared in his mind, the sound of her broken sobs rang through his ears. These images were then chased away by her warm smiles, laughter, and the joy that was on her face whenever she saw him.

 

The hugs she gave him, and he gave her.

 

_Well, at least the bar for failure is pretty low._

 

“Fine.” He sighed, body relaxing as he ignored the loud cheering that erupted from the being beside him.

 

“So when can I tell her?” The corpse gleefully asked, rubbing his hands together and making the chains rattle.

 

“Not yet, let me take care of that! You just, keep doing whatever you’re doing!”

 

Moonjumper giggled, mischief written all over his face, and vanished. The shadow felt a sense of doom loom over him, like a heavy cloud that was about to pour rain down on him.

 

Snatcher sighed and floated outside. He then looked up at the full moon above him, an unknown emotion settling in his ghostly heart. No, he recognized it now, it had just been ages since he had last felt like this.

 

He felt peaceful.

 

_A family, huh..._

Snatcher smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was inspired by a comment left by krourou2 involving Moonjumper’s reaction to Hat Kid’s past and I was immediately like “I need to write about that asap”. 
> 
> Also Moonjumper is the most precious, motivational creature to ever exist :3


	13. Ruffled Feathers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well the birds finally make their entrance into this fic! Also I'm super happy you guys enjoyed the fluff from the last chapter!!!

“Oh Darling, this place looks _marvelous_! I’ll have to shoot my next movie here!”

 

“It’s too cold fer me! I’m gonna freeze me feathers off!”

 

“And _that_ is why you wear a coat in the winter, Conductor!”

 

“But yer not wearn’ one!”

 

Hat Kid sighed and slapped a hand to her face, already worn out by the arguing that was going on between the two bird directors.

 

She had started her day out by returning to Dead Bird Studio, wanting to see the Conductor and DJ Grooves again. Well, it was mostly Grooves she wanted to see since she and the penguin had hit it off and formed a good friendship, the Conductor was just an added bonus.

 

Then again, listening to the bickering that was _still_ going on, bonus was not the word she would still use.

 

Perhaps annoying, or irritating would be a better description for the loud bird.

 

Anyways, the DJ had been extremely curious as to what she had been up to since she had last visited the studio. The next ten minutes or so were filled with stories about her experiences in the snowy Subcon Forest, discussing Snatcher, the Subconites, and Moonjumper.

 

She, of course, did not mention the general angst and strife that existed within the forest and its inhabitants. The penguin did _not_ need to know about that!

 

When her tale was finished it had taken him a couple moments to process all that she had told him. The spooky ghost that ruled over the magical forest, his shadowy minions that joked around and talked about free real estate, the goofy corpse that loved teasing said spooky ghost. It was quite a bit to take in.

 

But he was not one to be deterred by such strangeness, not after having worked beside the Conductor for so many years, and actually found himself rather interested in this strange forest.

 

“Do you think you could take me there, darling?” DJ Grooves asked. “I need some inspiration for a new movie and this forest just might be it!”

 

Hat Kid nodded her head, agreeing to take the DJ to Subcon in order to help him be inspired for his next movie that _she would hopefully star in pleasepleasepleeeeeeease_!

 

No matter how strange it had been to act in each of the bird’s movies, especially the Conductor’s because Train Rush had just been confusing and life threatening, she did enjoy the chance to be on screen and act.

 

Besides, think of how much _money_ she would get this time, especially if she got Snatcher to write up her contract!

 

Suddenly the ceiling started groaning, as if it would break at any moment, which startled the duo out of their movie obsessed thoughts. Confused and slightly worried, the penguin and child looked up then backed away from the creaking structure.

 

What happened next was, _unexpected_ , to say the least.

 

The Conductor suddenly, and literally, dropped in on their conversation.

 

Apparently the aggravated bird had been eavesdropping from one of the ventilation shafts in the ceiling.

 

He had been curious as to what his competitor and previous enemy had been discussing, but rather than ask the duo what they had been speaking about, because that was too _normal_ for someone as interesting as the Conductor, he had decided to spy on their conversation.

 

The dusty, disgruntled bird stood up, brushed himself off, and demanded they allow him to tag along so he too could explore Subcon. Hat Kid agreed, not immediately seeing any harm in allowing the Conductor to join her trip.

 

Besides it might prove to be entertaining when Snatcher decided to torment the birds.

 

In order to save time, and not worry about the Conductor trying to drive his train into Subcon, Hat Kid had returned to her ship, the birds in tow, and then jumped back down to the planet. It had been interesting to watch the combined awe and horror in both bird’s eyes as she rocketed up into the air with them, and then descended towards the forest.

 

She wished she had recorded the Conductor’s terrified screeches, or DJ Grooves’ insistent shouts that they were “going to die”.

 

It had sounded hilarious!

 

Anyways, they had landed at Hat Kid’s usual spot, right in front of Snatcher’s tree. Though perhaps _landed_ was a bit too generous considering the screaming duo had ended up face planting in some nearby snowdrifts. Luckily enough neither of them had landed anywhere near the swamp. A blessing for the child since she did _not_ want to get close to the stinking, murky sludge unless she absolutely had to.

 

Those creepy purple hands that would rise up from the swamp to drag her down... ugh, she got shudders just thinking about it!

 

After helping the Conductor and DJ Grooves break free of the snowdrifts, or watching the Conductor try to escape only to fail and wait for him to, the trio then began to walk towards Subcon Village.

 

It was without a doubt one of the safest places in the forest, especially when there were no possessed toilets lurking about, and was the best place to take her bird friends. 

 

Unfortunately the village was still at least a couple minutes away, especially with DJ Grooves stopping every couple of seconds to look at the snow covered landscape. At first the Conductor had not seemed that taken by his surroundings but he had soon joined the penguin in gleefully observing everything.

 

Or he had until the cold kicked in, which lead to their current situation.

 

“Why don’t you do that puffy thing most birds do?” Hat Kid asked, playfully looking back at the Conductor who was shuddering slightly in the frigid winds.

 

“What are ye talkin’ about lass? Puffy thing?” He was confused. What the peck was she talking about? Was that something birds on her planet did?

 

“You mean ruffle his feathers, darling?” The DJ said, a sly smirk, or as close to a smirk as he could get with his beak, as he realized what the child was talking about.

 

The Conductor was flabbergasted.

 

“I would never!” He shouted, stomping one foot into the snowy ground. “Ruffled feathers are fer hatchlins’ only, not grown birds!”

 

The nerve of the hat lass, implying that he should ruffle his feathers! Hatchlings did that when they were scared, and he was not scared! As if some _spooky_ , _eerie_ forest would _scare_ him!

 

There was nothing terrifying about the crooked trees that towered above them, or the snow covered gravestones that could be seen in the distance.

 

... He was shaking because of the _cold_ , not in _fear!_

 

AND THERE WAS NO WAY IN PECK HE WOULD _RUFFLE_ HIS _FEATHERS!_

 

Hat Kid and DJ Grooves both watched as the Conductor monologued to some unseen figure. The child was half convinced the bird had finally lost his mind while the penguin watched on in amusement.

 

This was a common sight back at the studio and no one had figured out any explanations for the strange behavior just yet.

 

“Alright, let’s just get to the village so you can warm up then.” The child suggested, trying to usher the birds further along the path.

 

But of course life had other plans for the trio.

 

“ _WHY HELLO THERE_!” A familiar, spooky voice shouted. Hat Kid grinned and spun around, looking up at her ghostly companion. Of course she had expected him to drop by, remembering what the Subconites had told her about auras, but she was surprised it had taken him so long to get here.

 

She hoped nothing bad had happened...

 

However before she had the chance to greet him, or introduce the birds she had brought with her, an unearthly shriek slammed into her ears.

 

“YE-YER A _GHOST!”_ The Conductor cried out, pointing one shaking finger, feather, thing at Snatcher.

 

“Why yes I am.” The shadow all but purred, a mischievous smirk crossing his face as he floated closer to the trembling bird, taking in the aura that _reeked_ of fear.

 

It had been quite a while since Snatcher had tormented someone, the snow discouraged any intruders from entering Subcon, so it was nice to see some fresh meat that was obviously terrified of him.

 

Even if he could not take the bird’s soul, since he looked like a friend of the hat brat, he would still do everything in his power make the creature miserable.

 

Nothing brought more joy to his undead life than making living creatures suffer!

 

_Except for seeing his newly adopted daughter happy, not that he had any intentions of telling her that yet._

 

“Are you _scared_ of ghosts?” Snatcher was circling the Conductor now, using his long, sinuous form to trap his victim like a predator would do to its prey.

 

Then again with his ghostly fangs bared and the hair around his neck fluffed up, he certainly looked like an intimidating hunter.

 

“No I’m not!” The bird literally squawked, feathers rising in agitation. “I’m not scared of ye!”

 

The shadow’s eyes darted off to the side as he noticed a familiar red cloak approaching, hidden from both the child and bird in front of him. The plan that had already been formulating in his mind further developed, and the smirk on his face grew all the more devilish.   

 

“Then what about him?” Snatcher said, gesturing towards something behind the Conductor. Terrified, he turned around and found himself facing a grinning corpse.

 

“Hello!” Moonjumper said, a warm smile on his face as he gleefully waved to the bird.

 

The Conductor took one look at him and exploded.

 

Or rather his _feathers_ exploded.

 

The fluffy feathers, already slightly puffed up due to encountering Snatcher, promptly flared out, each one standing upright, making the bird look more like a stuffed animal rather than an actual creature.

 

Pure silence coated the forest as the observers took in the strange sight in front of them, or it was silent until a certain shadow decided to break it.

 

_“HAHAHAHAHA!”_ Snatcher cackled, crumpling over as his boisterous laughter echoed through the forest. His plan had gone even better than expected thanks to Moonjumper’s random arrival!

 

Both Hat Kid and DJ Grooves were trying, and failing, to hide their massive smiles. The DJ held a wing in front of his face to hide his smile while the child had actually taken her hat off and tried to muffle her faint laughter in it.

 

Neither were too worried about the Conductor, Hat Kid knew Moonjumper would never hurt him and DJ Grooves had a feeling that the child would not have allowed either of them to visit the snowy forest if they had been in any real danger.

 

Besides, something about the gleeful expression on the shadow’s face told the penguin that his main goal had been to torment the Conductor rather than actually harm him.

 

Moonjumper looked horribly guilty as he considered the petrified bird in front of him. In an attempt to try and sooth the newcomer’s nerves, the corpse gently reached out towards the Conductor. However, this turned out to be the worst thing he could have done in this situation.

 

With a shriek the, still extremely fluffy, Conductor sprinted down the path towards Subcon Village, trailing feathers in his wake.

 

“WAIT!” Moonjumper cried out, floating after the fleeing bird. “WE CAN STILL BE FRIENDS, YES?”

 

More laughter broke out, Snatcher actually falling down into the snow as tremors took over his body. Hat Kid soon joined him, ignoring the cold slush that sank into her clothes. DJ Grooves was the only one who was able to continue standing, though the eyes hidden behind his glasses danced with mirth.

 

“Should,” Hat Kid wheezed out, finally gaining control over her laughing fit. “Should we go after him?”

 

“Why, darling?” DJ Grooves asked over the booming laughter that was still coming from Snatcher.

 

“Because the village is filled with Subconites and Dwellers.” Noticing the DJ’s confused expression she continued explaining.

 

“There’s a bunch of ghosts up ahead.”

 

It took a moment for the words to sink in, and then DJ Grooves shot forward, sprinting towards Subcon Village as quickly as he could in his platform shoes. Hat Kid followed a moment later after putting on her Sprint Hat, leaving the still cackling Snatcher in the dust.

 

It only took a couple seconds to pass by the broken bridge, and less than that to reach the entrance of the village thanks to their haste. The sight that greeted their eyes when they arrived was... interesting to say the least.

 

The Subconites and Dwellers were all clustered around the entrance to the village where Moonjumper was floating with his back to them. It looked as though he was holding something in his arms and trying to speak to whatever it was.

 

Hat Kid cautiously pushed through the crowd, the worried DJ following close behind. “Uh, Moonjumper, what’re you doing?”

 

Her uncle, _it sounded so nice when she called him that, so right,_ paused whatever he was doing and spun around, a familiar bird hugged close to his chest in a protective embrace.

 

“Look,” Moonjumper cooed, holding the fluffy Conductor out towards them. “He’s so cuddly!”

 

Hat Kid started laughing once again.

 

“Well Conductor, at least you don’t have to worry about being cold.” The smirking DJ quipped, folding his wings as he watched the energetic corpse gush about the puffed up bird trapped in his arms.

 

The Conductor groaned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I deeply believe that the Conductor is an absolutely scaredy cat and the reason why he acts so loud and angry is to prove to himself he's not scared in situations where he's terrified :P
> 
> And of course Moonjumper tries to be friends with whoever he can!


	14. Hot Chocolate

“Do, do you know how to make hot chocolate?” Hat Kid asked the feline, eyes shining with glee as she clasped her hands in front of her.

 

Recently Cooking Cat had taken it upon herself to help teach the child how to cook seeing as most of the food on her ship was, _questionable_ to say the least. Though she did spend most of her time on the child’s ship there were days when she had to return to the surface of the planet to cook for the Mafia or get groceries, which led to her constantly worrying about what the child was eating when she was gone.

 

So mandatory cooking lessons were quickly added to Hat Kid’s routine.

 

The child had learned how to make scrambled eggs, pancakes, grilled cheese sandwiches, a variety of soups, and pizza. To her credit the only times where Hat Kid had problems making the food was when they were putting everything together, actually cooking the food was no problem for her.

 

Though she kept insisting that the microwave should be used for _bad food_ and not to heat anything up. Apparently that was what the stove was for.

 

  Which helped to explain why a nine year old knew how to work a stove so well...

 

Anyways, now that Cooking Cat felt comfortable in knowing that the child knew how to make _actual_ food to feed herself, she had offered to help her learn how to make desserts. Simple things, such as cookies.

 

But it appeared as though Hat Kid had another plan in mind.

 

“Hot chocolate,” Cooking Cat scratched at her chef’s hat as she tried to remember the last time she made the creamy treat. “Any particular reason why?”

 

She sighed. “Tim was pretty weird, and he didn’t really get people, but he always did his best to take care of me, and he made the _best_ hot chocolate ever!”

 

It was perhaps the only thing she truly missed from her home planet, that and the old man’s presence of course, but there was nothing else of note that really made her feel homesick. She honestly had no idea if it was good or bad that she felt this way. 

 

The feline laughed. “It looks like I’ve got some high standards to live up to! I think I remember an old recipe, but we’ll need to get something first.”

 

With that the duo took a quick trip to Mafia Town in search of cocoa power, the one ingredient Hat Kid was missing in order to make the sweet, creamy drink. Luckily enough none of the Mafia bothered them during their quest, and a few even waved at her! This was most likely because of when the child had helped to turn off the lava that had slowly been consuming the island.

 

It was nice to know she was still appreciated, even if it had been several weeks since she had last visited.

 

_Had she really been on this planet for so long? What about getting back home?_ Was _her home planet even_ home _at this point-_

“And that’s everything!” Cooking Cat chirped after purchasing what they needed from a nearby store, snapping Hat Kid out of her thoughts. “We can head back to your ship now.”

 

The child sighed, both grateful and slightly annoyed at the distraction. Together she and the feline walked to the nearest open space so they could return to her space ship. She always had to be careful when picking a return point in Mafia Town since there had been many instances where Hat Kid had nearly smashed her head on overhanging bars.

 

The never ending construction was a hazard she never really had to deal with anywhere else on the planet, so it was something she had to _constantly_ be aware of.

 

In almost no time at all they were back on Hat Kid’s ship, the child’s previous dour mood gone, replaced with a smile as Cooking Cat began to teach her how to make hot chocolate.

 

Granted the feline could not perfectly recall the recipe she had learned years ago, but she remembered the basic outline of what needed to be done and, hopefully, that would be enough for this lesson.

 

A small, clean, pot was taken for one of Hat Kid’s many cupboards and placed on the stove. Cooking Cat took care of handling the temperature of the stove, it did not need to be too high since the ingredients only needed to melt together, while Hat Kid was in charge of placing everything into the container and stirring it.

 

First in went the cocoa powder, sugar, salt and milk. The next step was to mix everything together, not too fast so the drink did not splash out of the pot, but quick enough to make sure all the ingredients were properly blended together. A wooden spoon was used to accomplish this task.

 

The child was so focused on mixing everything together, and making sure the hot liquid did not fly out of the pot, that she did not notice the flash of light that signaled the arrival of one of her adopted family members.

 

“Is that the glorious, sweetness of hot chocolate I smell?”

 

Hat Kid spun around and found herself facing a grinning Moonjumper.

 

“Moonjumper!” She cried, flinging herself at the prepared corpse. He caught the child and swung her around before pulling her in for a hug. “What’re you doing here?”

 

“I decided to drop by and visit my favourite niece!” He said, holding her close for another moment before putting her back down on the ground.

 

Hat Kid beamed, grabbed one of his gangly arms with her free hand, and pulled him over to the stove as she gushed about her progress in learning how to cook for herself. Moonjumper would hum or praise the child as she told him about each recipe she had learned to make, and even expressed some interest in learning how to cook with her at some point.

 

It had been many years since he had last been in a working kitchen...

 

“I think it’s almost finished.” The child said, looking into the pot that contained the chocolatey concoction and unintentionally shaking her uncle out of his memories. Moonjumper also glanced at the sweet treat, nodding in agreement.

 

“It looks very good, you have done excellently my dear!” Hat Kid glanced off to the side, blushing at the compliment.

 

“If it’s warm enough then all we need to do is add the vanilla.” Cooking Cat added, passing the child a bottle of vanilla extract.

 

A smile took over her face once again as she placed the wooden spoon in Moonjumper’s hand, allowing to corpse to take over mixing everything together as she measured out how much vanilla needed to be added. She then dumped it into the pot and quickly took the spoon back, returning to her previous task.

 

“Now just mix it a little more and then we can serve it!” Hat Kid nodded and kept mixing.

 

After what felt like a minute had passed Cooking Cat told the child to stop and brought a spoon over. She dipped it into the drink, carefully blew on it to cool it down, and took a sip. The feline smiled.

 

It was delicious.

 

“It’s done! I’ll get us some mugs!” With that Cooking Cat rushed over to one of the cupboards, opening it and gently pulling out three ceramic mugs.

 

Hat Kid blinked. Huh, so _that_ was where her mugs were!

 

The feline then carefully walked back, not wanting to drop any of the ceramic dishes, and placed them on the counter. She then grabbed a ladle that had been placed on the counter earlier and used it to carefully pour the hot chocolate into each of the mugs.

 

Hat Kid beamed and rushed to grab her drink, but a blue hand placed in front of her forced her to stop before she could accidentally burn herself. At the stern look on the corpse’s face the child let out a huff, but allowed the drink to cool down before she picked it up.

 

He smirked in response and picked up his own cup.

 

Moonjumper took a sip, smiling as he basked in the familiar taste. Memories floated through his mind and before he knew it he had begun speaking.

 

“There was a vendor near my house who sold hot chocolate in the winter. I used to go there, get something to drink, and then curl up under a blanket and read about the stars.” He sighed, a wistful expression taking over his face as he held the mug in his hands.

 

“Oh yeah, you used to be alive too!” Hat Kid chirped, taking a canister of whip cream out of her fridge as she spoke. The hot chocolate tasted great, but she wanted to add a little something extra to it.

 

Moonjumper frowned slightly, recalling an earlier conversation he had with a certain shadow about this topic. “Has Snatcher not spoken to you-”

 

He was cut off as he noticed the child open her mouth, squirting a bunch of whip cream into it. The corpse snorted as he watched her accidently spray some of the fluffy substance onto her face, making a mess.

 

He quickly spotted a napkin sitting on the nearby counter, picked it up, and began cleaning off the child’s face. She pouted at him, cheeks still puffed with whip cream, making both him and Cooking Cat chuckle at the adorable expression.

 

“Was Snatcher supposed to talk to me about something?” Hat Kid asked once her mouth was empty, curiously glancing up at Moonjumper.

 

He sighed, it was clear he was going to have to speak to the shadow _again_ , but he could not let the child know. It was Snatcher’s responsibility to speak to her about this topic as he would be the best at handling her response.

 

For as much as Moonjumper cared about his niece, he knew without a doubt that Snatcher came first in her heart. Now it was not a fact that made him feel bad or betrayed, it was just something he had to accept and be aware of.

 

Besides, it would be best for her _father_ to tell her, not her _uncle_!

 

“Do not worry about it, my favourite niece!” Moonjumper exclaimed, hoping to distract the child from the previous topic.

 

“But I’m you _only_ niece!” Hat Kid shouted, yelping as the smiling corpse messed with her hat. She squirmed and tried to lash out with her arms but only succeeded in narrowly missing him.

 

Moonjumper’s smile grew, it looked like his plan had been a success!

 

Cooking Cat, who had been watching the spectacle from the side, smiled gently. It made her happy to see that the alien child had found a family on this planet, from the shadow that had taken care of her when she had been sick to this new, strange looking creature.

 

“Come on, let’s go watch the stars!” Hat Kid shouted, gesturing for the two adults to follow her.

 

The trio then made their way out of the kitchen and sat down behind the railing, or in Moonjumper’s case floated lower in the air. Together they spoke to each other, enjoying sips of their hot chocolate as the other spoke.

 

But a certain child found her thoughts drifting, focusing on the fuel she was still missing. And then there was her umbrella...

 

She honestly had no idea where she had lost it, but she knew it was in Subcon somewhere, probably buried under a bunch of snow. She had to look for it at some point so she could keep collecting her Time Pieces.

 

But did she actually _want_ to...

 

“Is there something wrong?” Cooking Cat asked when she noticed the odd silence that had engulfed the child.

 

Hat Kid sighed, glancing down at the cup in her hands. “I need to keep looking for Time Pieces, but I have to figure out where my umbrella went first.”

 

“Do you remember where you last had it?” The feline continued, trying to recall if she had seen the blue umbrella anywhere in Mafia Town.

 

“It’s somewhere in Subcon, buried under a bunch of snow!” The child groaned, bumping her head against the railing in an attempt to lessen her frustration.

 

Moonjumper and Cooking Cat winced, immediately understanding how difficult it would be to find her lost item. Hat Kid sighed once again.

 

“I should probably ask Snatcher-”

 

“Did somebody say my name?” A familiar voice interrupted, an audible smile present in his voice.

 

Hat Kid gasped and looked up, a massive smile taking over her face as she caught sight of her ghostly father.

 

_Not that she would tell him that just yet._

 

“Snatcher!” She cried out, placing her drink off to the side and standing up so she could give the shadow a hug. _What the peck is he doing here?_

 

Not that she was upset at his presence, mind you, she was more curious about the timing of it all. Just why had Snatcher shown up when she was feeling more upset? Did Moonjumper tell him somehow, or was it something else?

 

“You are late.” Moonjumper teased, watching the late arrival hug the demanding girl beside him. Snatcher scoffed and, once the hug was finished, folded his arms.

 

“Unlike you Moonboy _I_ have a forest to take care of!”

 

The shadow then faced the child once again, a curious expression on her face. “Now why were you talking about me, kiddo?”

 

“I wanted to know if you’d seen my umbrella anywhere.”

 

Snatcher hummed as a faint smirk danced across his face. “Your umbrella? Why would _I_ know where that might be?”

 

Hat Kid was unimpressed by his terrible attempt at trying to seem ignorant.

 

“Alright, alright. Drop by Subcon tomorrow and I’ll see if I can find your umbrella.” The child sighed and nodded her head. Knowing Snatcher he probably already had her makeshift weapon in his possession and was going to make her sign a contract to get it back.

 

Oh well, she needed the umbrella to keep looking for Time Pieces so she did not really have a choice.

 

“And why does it smell like,” Snatcher paused, trying to figure out what the familiar scent was. “Chocolate?”

 

“Oh, I was just teaching Hat Kid here how to make hot chocolate.” Cooking Cat chimed in, sending a warm smile towards the child standing beside her.

 

“Really? That’s great kiddo!” The shadow actually sounded impressed, bringing a blush to Hat Kid’s face.

 

“Now someone get me a cup!” He barked, gleefully rubbing his hands together as he recalled the delicious drink he often had during his childhood.

 

“You _like_ hot chocolate Snatcher?” Hat Kid asked, more than a little bit of surprise present in her voice.

 

She had always pegged him as more of a coffee kind of guy.

 

“Yeah, I used to drink it all the time when I was a kid. I would wrap myself up in a blanket and drink it while I read my books.” Snatcher said, unconsciously repeating the story Moonjumper had told the child of earlier.

 

Hat Kid noticed this right away, her eyes narrowing in suspicion, but before she could comment on the odd “coincidence” the corpse jumped in.

 

“But Snatcher, you are a ghost.” He said, casually taking a sip of his hot chocolate in an attempt to distract the child from the question he knew she was going to ask. “You cannot drink anything!”

 

Silence, and then...

 

“GIVE ME THAT HOT CHOCOLATE!”

 

The shadow lunged for the laughing Moonjumper, aiming to steal the mug in his hands. The corpse quickly placed his hot drink off to the side so it did not get knocked over, and let out a yelp when he was tackled to the ground.

 

Snatcher smirked, pinning his other self to the ground as he used his tail to reach for the abandoned hot chocolate. Unfortunately for him Moonjumper easily noticed this and summoned some strings to move the drink off to the side.

 

Now Hat Kid and Cooking Cat had been watching the mock fight from their place on the upper platform. Neither were too worried about the battle taking place in front of them, but a plan had been brewing in the child’s mind and she was more than ready to enact it.

 

All she had to do was wait for the perfect moment...

 

There!

 

Hat Kid lunged, perfectly mimicking the attack Snatcher had used earlier, and latched onto the shadow’s fluffy neck.

 

“Kid, what the heck-” Snatcher began to say, but he was cut off as the child planted her lips to his cheek, making a loud _mwah_ as she smooched the shadow.

 

This immediately had its desired effect on her victim.

 

Snatcher stiffened, a bright pink blush appearing on his purple face, and then started flailing his arms. “WHAT THE HECK HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT SMOOCHING STRANGERS KID?”

 

Hat Kid laughed, still hugging his neck so she did not get flung off by his frantic movements.

 

Moonjumper chuckled and floated back over to his hot chocolate, enjoying the sweetness of both the drink and the sight in front of him.

 

Yes, he had to speak to the shadow again about the discussion he should have with the hatted child, but not today.

 

Finally after several more seconds passed in this manner Hat Kid let go, jumping back over to the platform where Cooking Cat was. When she landed she turned around and faced Snatcher, playfully sticking her tongue out at him.

 

In return the shadow plucked her hat off of her head and placed it on his own, smirking at her the entire time.

 

He then floated up towards the higher platform and sat down beside her. The hatless child smiled and leaned against him, snuggling against his side. Moonjumper and Cooking Cat watched the exchange, eyes shining with joy as they considered the father and daughter sitting together.

 

It looked like Hat Kid had several more happy memories to go with hot chocolate. From her time with Tim to having her group of friends relax and joke around her, the drink had brought her nothing but joy in life.

 

With all of her heart she hoped it would continue to do so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More fluff and bonding between characters, yes pure sweetness... 
> 
> I’m also aware most of you guys are probably entering a more stressful time with school and whatnot so I’m gonna try to put out more chapters for the upcoming month to give you something to look forward to amongst all the stress <3


	15. Memory: Power Out

_Warm light lit up the small library as the child and her guardian both sat on the sofa, each relaxing as the snow storm raged outside._

_Winter had arrived in an explosion of snow, ice, and freezing temperatures that encouraged everyone to stay inside. Most off planet missions had been cancelled due to the dangerous conditions in the atmosphere and only those with the highest priority were still allowed to continue._

_Trying to land a spaceship was challenging in the best conditions, never mind when your view was completely obscured by precipitation._

_So just about everyone was inside, clinging to the heat coming from the furnaces of their homes and huddling together with their loved ones._

_Tim was leaning back, hands tucked behind his head as he listened to the rattling of the window.  The winds had only grown stronger as the night went on, whipping ice through the air in the process._

_Hat Kid, more interested in the sight outside rather than the noise, was leaning with her stomach against the back of the couch, her curious blue eyes just barely peaking over the edge of the piece of furniture so she could watch the blowing snow._

_It looked..._ eerie _outside._

_The busy streets were empty, made all the strange because Tim lived at the core of the city, and she could barely make out the lights from the other buildings through the wall of snowflakes._

_The warm glow seemed muffled, as if the snow was trying to smother it._

_“Hey Tim,” Hat Kid began, learning forward to get a better look at the abandoned streets. “Why’s the snow so bad this year?”_

_“Weeeeeeeell,” The old man sighed, opening one of his eyes to glance over at her. “That’s a complicated combination of wind patterns, precipitation, and temperature involving insulation from the sun’s rays and our relative distance to the star.”_

_The child blinked._

_Tim chuckled._

_“Tiiiiiiim!” Hat Kid whined, shifting herself so she was now facing the smirking old man. “You’re being a butt face again!”_

_“You make it too easy sometimes, kid.” He muttered, further leaning back against the sofa and looking up to the ceiling as he spoke._

_It was a desperate attempt to avoid the puppy dog eyes being thrown his way._

_The wind continued to blow, rattling the windows and distracting the duo from their earlier conversation. Hat Kid returned to her previous position, looking outside and forgetting her minor annoyance at the old man in the process._

_“The snow’s getting pretty bad, isn’t it?” Tim sighed, shifting so he was now able to look out the window into the dark streets._

_The child let out a noncommittal hum, still focused on the snowstorm raging outside. The sight was so hypnotic, the way the snow swirled around in the strong breeze..._

_Then the power went out, plunging the room into darkness._

_Hat Kid let out a yelp, clutching at the sofa while Tim remained unaffected by the sudden loss of light. It was strange how sometimes he seemed to know when certain things were going to happen and was prepared for them._

_The child had no idea if this was some natural ability of his or some kind of side effect of guarding the Time Pieces._

_“Calm down kid, the power just went out.” He muttered, standing up to undoubtedly find another source of light._

_She whimpered softly, scared of being left alone but unwilling to mention it. She did not wish to appear weak or needy in front of Tim after learning what she had about her parents all those months ago. She needed to be stronger, for her own sake._

_Another yelp escaped her as a casual flick made her signature hat shift just a bit, making it fall completely over her face._

_“Relax, you can come with me if you want.” The old man sighed out, a relaxed smile on his lips as he watched his change try to escape her hat. When she was finally free she noticed Tim standing near the doorway and rushed over to join him._

_Together the duo navigated the dark hallways, following the carpet below their feet and using the light from the windows in the other rooms to figure out where they were going. Clearly Tim had a plan, but Hat Kid had no idea where they were going._

_After all these years she had spent living in the massive building it was still far too easy to get lost._

_Multiple twists and turns down the long hallway left her more confused than ever and wondering why Tim needed so many rooms. When she voiced the question to the old man she could hear the smirk in his voice as he responded._

_“It’s a class thing, kid. You wouldn’t understand it just yet.”_

_Finally after several minutes passed it appeared as though they had arrived at their destination. Though Hat Kid could not see any difference between this door and the several other they had passed on their journey, Tim assured her this was the right door._

_She hoped so, it was no fun running around in the dark and bumping into stuff!_

_The old man opened the door and started rummaging around inside, obviously looking for something in the cramped closet. Occasionally he would throw items off to the side in search of his goal. So far she had seen a rubber duck, a box of cereal, multiple pairs of slippers, and a couple clocks fly through the air._

_“FOUND IT!” Tim suddenly shouted, catching the child off guard. He backed out of the doorway, more miscellaneous items spilling out of the space, and stood in front of her._

_He did not bother to close the door or clean up the mess, he could do that when the power went on, and instead offered one of the items he held to his charge. Hat Kid took it and immediately realized what Tim had been looking for._

_It was a flashlight._

_She grinned and promptly turned it on, watching the hallway light up._

_“It looks kinda spooky now.” Hat Kid noted, moving her flashlight around so she could see the different shadows that were formed by the rays of light._

_“Are you_ scared _of spooky things?” Tim asked, tone part playful and part serious in nature._

_“Nope, only babies are scared of stuff like that!” She huffed, sticking her tongue out at him._

_“Good.” The old man said, a strange smile on his face as he looked down at her._

_The duo then started to make their way back over to the library, this trip taking far less time than the first one since they could see where they were going. Hat Kid would occasionally run ahead and hide only to pop out and try to scare her guardian when he walked by._

_Once more the duo found themselves in the library, lit only by the faint moonlight that shone through the storm clouds. It looked like the blizzard had begun to calm down in their absence as the snow was falling far slower than before._

_Hat Kid rushed back over to the sofa and looked out the window, this time using her flashlight to try and light up the darkened street outside. Tim sat beside her, occasionally looking over at her when he heard her laughter._

_Soon her excitement faded and she leaned forward against the back of the sofa, resting her head on her arms as the flashlight she had been given dangled from one hand._

_“I wonder what mom and dad are doing.” The child mumbled, looking off to the side as she thought about her parents. Their missions would be among the few that would not be cancelled by the terrible weather, which meant they were traveling through space gathering Time Pieces._

_Her guardian cringed as he heard the blatant adoration within her voice. He had hoped to raise her to worry more about herself rather than her_ parents _, but it appeared as though he had failed in that regard. Then again it did not help that she kept reading reports about the results of their missions, stealing them from his desk before he could file them away._

_He could understand why she admired them so much, they were famous for crying out loud, but her near obsession with proving to them how “strong” and “independent” she could be was getting to be a bit too much._

_It was not healthy for her, plain and simple._

_“I’m gonna get up there, some day, and be with them.” Hat Kid said, a big grin on her face as she looked up to the cloud filled sky, oblivious to her guardian’s worried thoughts._

_It looked like it was time to have another conversation with her about this..._

_“You have to do things for you kid, not because that’s what you think someone else wants you to do.” Tim sighed, crossing his arms and leaning back on the sofa._

_Hat Kid blinked and tilted her head to the side, confusion dancing across her face. “What do you mean Tim?”_

_“You’ll never know what someone expects of you unless they say it. If you try to do something for someone without knowing what they want then you’re taking the risk of disappointing them or doing the wrong thing.” He sat up and looked the child in the eyes._

_“But_ you _know what_ you _want in life! Work to make yourself happy first, then you can worry about others!” The old man concluded, hoping she would be able to understand the hidden message in his words._

_Her parents were not worth the effort, nor did they deserve to see what Hat Kid would accomplish during her life._

_The child was silent for a couple moments until the confusion cleared from her face._

_“Alright!” She nodded, determination lighting up her eyes. “I’ll make myself happy too!”_

_Finding her parents in space and making them proud of her would_ definitely _make her feel happy too!_

_Suddenly the lights flickered and turned back on, a sign that the power had been restored._

_Hat Kid cheered, nearly dropping the flashlight in her hands as she stood up and bounced up and down on the sofa with glee. Tim on the other had was much more reserved in his celebration, merely clapping his hands, applauding the efforts of whoever had fixed the power._

_He then glanced over at his charge and recalled the conversation they had just had. He had a feeling that she would still try to impress her “parents”, but that determination he had seen in her eyes,_ that _could be worked with..._

_Maybe things would turn out alright for her after all._

_Tim smirked and stole the child’s hat, placing it atop his head. “C’mon kid, I’ve got something to show you.”_

_With that he marched out of the small library, Hat Kid following soon after, both keeping their flashlights with them in case the power went out once again, though Tim hoped it would not or else his plan would be a failure._

_The duo began to make their way through the large building that Tim called home once again. The towering structure was only about thirty floors tall, but the height of each floor varied depending on what was done. For example both the bottom and top floors of the building where the tallest in terms of height due to the fact that one served as an entrance, and the other..._

_Well, Hat Kid did not actually_ know _what the top floor was for, but she was certain it was for something important!_

_They soon found themselves at an elevator, Tim pressed the call button and the doors opened. He then gestured for her to follow him and together they entered the homely looking contraption. The old man then pressed a button and the door shut, mechanisms working to pull the elevator higher into the building. She watched as the numbers began to increase, curious as to what their destination was. Eventually the numbers stopped changing and the elevator came to a halt._

_The metallic doors slid open, allowing Tim to walk out and he was quickly joined by Hat Kid. Her mouth dropped as they entered the new room, staring in awe at the massive space._

_It was_ huge _!_

_There was_ easily _enough room for multiple spaceships to fit in the area, and the walls, floor, and ceiling all seemed to have been built out of the same bluish green panels. Various tables, tools, and metallic parts were scattered around the room in a disorganized mess. It looked far more advanced than the rest of Tim’s home, that combined with the tools prompted Hat Kid to come up with an idea as to what this place had been designed for._

Building spaceships!

_“Wow! Do you have a spaceship Tim?” The child asked, eyes still wide with awe as she took in the massive workshop around her._

_“No, but I think you do, kid.” The old man replied with a faint grin on his face and he pulled a sheet of paper out of his coat pocket and presented it to her._

_“That’s my ship!” Hat Kid shouted, recognizing the drawing that was in Tim’s hand._

_It was her dream space ship, or the rough outline of it. On her planet it was common for most inhabitants to have some sort of interstellar vehicle, be it a proper space ship or some other form of transportation._

_Ever since she had learned about her parents she had been designing her own space ship so she could follow them on their travels without them having to worry about her using up their supplies. Of course the science behind it was more than a little confusing, the way the thrusters worked and how space resistant the wood was supposed to be, but she had managed to figure out a basic design_

_“Thanks Tim, you’re the best!” Hat Kid cried out, a huge grin stretched across her face as she thanked the old man. She had to make sure she held back from accidentally hugging him._

_The CEO of Time was a bit weird when it came to physical affection. He hated anyone touching him without his knowledge and preferred to be the one to initiate contact, and even then_ that _was extremely limited._

_She wondered if it was because he had grown up on his own, like she would have if not for him taking her in..._

_Every day after that Hat Kid and Tim slowly got to work on building her space ship. Granted there were some,_ modifications _that had to be made to her design so it was a bit more realistic._

_“No, you can’t have an_ entire _room full of pillows, only half of one!”_

_“Awwww, my pillow room!”_

_“Kid, you need a place to do your laundry.”_

_“No! You’re just trying to get me to do chores and stuff instead of exploring!”_

_“A_ science _lab? What do you need a science lab for?!”_

_“Science stuff, duh!”_

_Regardless of these changes, the ship was coming along quite nicely, and far faster than Hat Kid thought it would. Then again she was also pretty sure that the old man spent some extra time working on the ship alone._

_But when they worked together she never noticed the odd, contemplative look that appeared on Tim’s face when they were working. How his eyes would narrow in concentration as he looked at her working on the spaceship, or the smile that would occasionally appear on his face when she did something._

_The nodding as more of the spaceship began to come together. The gleeful look on his face as she applied the last coat of space proof sealant to the outside of the ship, finishing off the last of what needed to be worked on._

_Finally, it was done._

_Several months’ worth of hard work, combined with the experts the old man had brought in to make sure the engine and electrical systems were functioning properly, and her ship was finally ready to soar through space._

_Granted_ Hat Kid _was not ready just yet, but she would start learning how to pilot a spaceship soon._

_She was proud of all of the hard work that had gone into building the craft. The long nights where they had to fix a flaw in her design, which happened more often than she would have liked, the hours that would be spent shaping specific parts of the ship so they fit perfectly together, something that Tim did not allow her to help out with just in case she hurt herself._

_Now she hoped her parents would see the dedication in making such a ship,_ see _her strength, and accept her when she finally met them._

_It would be much easier to chase after them with a spaceship!_

_“Now after you learn how to fly your ship you have to complete a couple missions so the Council knows you’re good to go.”_

_“But aren’t_ you _in charge of the Council?”_

_Tim shrugged. “I might be, but we still have to follow the rules.”_

_“But you break the rules ALL the time!” Hat Kid pointed out, remembering the various times grumpy old people would show up at the building to yell at him._

_“Only sometimes, now shush so you can start learning how to fly.”_

_Hat Kid immediately closed her mouth and plopped down onto the ground, crossing her legs as she intently stared at Tim, waiting for her lesson to begin. The old man smiled and began speaking._

_“When piloting a spaceship, one must be careful...”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, I wonder what Tim was thinking about during this chapter... 
> 
> Insert audible wink here~


	16. Snow Removal

“HEY SNATCHER, I’M HERE! NOW GIMME MY UMBRELLA!” The loud shout echoed through Subcon Forest, destroying the calm silence that had previously covered the woods.

 

It was the day after she had learned how to make hot chocolate, which meant it was time for her to find Snatcher and figure out what the tricky shadow had done with her umbrella. She had landed in front of his tree just like she always did, however he was not sitting in his chair reading like he typically would.

 

Of course he would try to make it hard for her by being somewhere else.

 

So with a huff Hat Kid set out to see if she could figure out where he had gone. Her first destination had been, naturally, Subcon Village, considering how much Snatcher cared about the smaller shadows.

 

His subjects.

 

Even now several days after he had told her his tale she still got chills remembering it.

 

Anyways after her first plan failed she decided to try and find Moonjumper since she had a feeling the goofy figure would know where the shadow had gone.

 

For someone who had been incredibly worried about how the rest of the inhabitants of Subcon Forest would react to his presence, he seemed to be pretty involved in everything that was going on. Then there was also how nervous he would get when discussing certain topics, and that whole thing about Snatcher needing to talk to her...

 

It was suspicious to say the least, and something to look into.

 

Eventually.  

 

For now she had to focus on finding Snatcher and getting her umbrella back!

 

Unfortunately speaking to both Moonjumper and the Subconites yielded no results as they were not too sure where the shadow had gone. Disappointed, Hat Kid huffed and left the village, still intent on finding Snatcher.

 

She walked through the snow covered forest, being careful to avoid the creepy old lady’s place, searching for any sign of the shadow that had her weapon. It was only when Hat Kid neared the area where she had found the Purple Time Rift she discovered a sign of Snatcher’s location.

 

Or what he was currently doing.

 

A familiar ring of purple tendrils that snaked out of the ground caught her gaze, and the child rolled her eyes. The first time she had stumbled into the trap had been purely accidental, and every time after that had just been to annoy Snatcher.

 

A mischievous smile lit up the child’s face.

 

She had the perfect idea on how to catch his attention, and get her revenge.

 

Moments later Hat Kid stood outside of the trap, a heavy rock held in her hands. It had not been that difficult to find the large stone, all she had to do was knock the snow around until she found one.

 

Now that she had the object she had been looking for, the next step of her plan was a simple one that would, hopefully, have wonderful results.

 

She threw the rock.

 

It flew through the air, landed on the ground, and rolled directly in the center of the circle. Almost immediately the tendrils sprang up, locking the immobile object in place and leaving it with no escape.

 

At least now she would get the chance to see what Snatcher’s trap looked like from the outside.

 

A haze of purple erupted from the ground, forming a dome and completely obscuring the rock from view. It was too easy for her to imagine the shadows that danced across the inside of the barrier and the towering, ghostly figure that would seek to scare whoever had set off his trap.

 

Actually now that she thought about it Snatcher often appeared far shorter than he first did when interacting with her. Though hugs were usually given when he was at his larger size. It was a strange detail she had never really paid attention to.

 

Moments later an outraged “HEY!” burst forth, drawing laughter from the child as the purple aura vanished and was replaced by her annoyed...

 

Father.

 

She was going to have to get used to calling him that, just not to his face.

 

Yet.

 

The annoyance on his face swiftly vanished as he caught sight of Hat Kid, and a smirk replaced it. “Why hellooooooo kid, fancy seeing you here.”

 

“Yeah well I need my umbrella back so I can keep looking for Time Pieces.” The child responded, holding a hand out for the piece of paper she knew she was going to receive.

 

“I’d love to give you a contract, but first here’s a little _something_ that might make the job easier!”

 

With a snap of Snatcher’s fingers a poof of purple, shadowy magic appeared in Hat Kid’s hand. Curious, she looked the object over and groaned when she noticed what item he had given her.

 

It was a _snow shovel._

 

Peck.

 

The shovel was one of those ones that had a broad section used to scoop up snow that was purple in colour and had the shadow’s trademark grin plastered on it. Actually, the entire thing was made out of plastic, all the same shade of purple, and was perfect for her size.

 

It actually looked kind of _cute_ , now that she thought about it.

 

Then a familiar piece of paper poofed into existence right in front of her face. She put the shovel down and snagged it out of the air, shaking the wrinkles out of it before reading.

 

Hat Kid hummed as she read over her latest contract. The description of her task was the exact same as the others, a basic outline of what she needed to do in order to complete her contract, but she noticed something a bit different about it.

 

There was no mention of having to give up her soul, _anywhere_.

 

“You’re not gonna take my soul again?” The child joked, smiling up at the shadow.

 

Instead of laughing or making some kind of comeback like she thought he would, Snatcher seemed to pale at the words, turning a lighter shade of purple that was closer to lavender in colour.

 

It was weird, and slightly concerning.

 

“Are you okay Snatcher?” She asked, shifting closer to him to see if she could help out.

 

He shook his head, becoming a bit closer to his typical shade of purple but still far too pale for her liking, and responded. “I’m fine kiddo, just get that contract done and you’ll get your umbrella back.”

 

With that Snatcher vanished. He did not laugh, or do anything of note, he just dove into the shadows and disappeared from sight.

 

Okay, maybe Hat Kid was more than a _little_ worried about him.

 

But she had to focus on getting her umbrella back so she could collect the last of the Time Pieces and go back to her home planet...

 

_Why did it sound so_ wrong _when she said that?_

 

The child shook off her thoughts and got to work.

 

She picked up the shovel and made her way back to the path that connected Snatcher’s tree to Subcon Village. She would have to clear the route of snow in order to complete her contract and get her umbrella back.

 

Except there was a _slight_ problem.

 

The snow.

 

It was immediately clear that _no one_ had shoveled the main path, which meant there was at least a foot of heavy, packed snow to try and move.

 

A nightmare for a nine year old with a plastic shovel.

 

But she had to complete her contract so she could get her umbrella back and get the rest of her Time Pieces!

 

_Right?_

 

She shook her head, snapping herself out of her thoughts, and once more got to work, or tried to until another distraction popped up in the form of one of the inhabitants of Subcon Village.

 

“Hey newbie, what’re you doing over there?” A Subconite called out as he walked over to the child.

 

Hat Kid looked up and smiled as she caught sight of the small shadow, happily waving in response to his greeting. “I’m just doing some shoveling!”

 

He nodded, immediately understanding what she was talking about. “The Boss gave you another contract, huh?”

 

She sighed, smile fading from her face at the thought of her near impossible task. “Yeah, but there’s so much snow...”

 

An invisible smirk appeared on the Subconite’s face. “I think we can help you with that.”

 

Before Hat Kid could ask what he was talking about, dozens of other shadows appeared out of nowhere, each carrying some sort of tool that could be used to move snow. Moonjumper appeared beside her, wielding a shovel of his own.

 

Her jaw dropped.

 

“That contract did not say anything about help, correct?” The corpse asked, and when the child nodded he lifted the arm not holding the tool up into the air and brought it down, a signal for the Subconites.

 

“Alright everyone, let us shovel!”

 

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Meanwhile on the other side of the forest a certain shadow was having a slight mental breakdown. He had retreated to the most isolation section of his forest, the snow around him only making him feel _more_ alone, and started talking.

 

“Does she _really_ think I’d do that to her?” Snatcher muttered to himself as he floated back and forth, his own form of nervous pacing.

 

“That I’d take her soul after _everything_ we’ve been through?”

 

The comment Hat Kid had made earlier had remained with him, plaguing his mind as he debated on whether she had been joking or not.

 

“She’s _my kid_.” He growled out, and then promptly covered his mouth and looked around to see if anyone had been listening. He could only imagine how horrible it would be if someone had been listening to his verbal ramblings and told the kid-

 

Then again according to Moonjumper literally everyone _but_ the child knew about his parental feelings.

 

Which was just _fan-freaking-tastic!_

 

Maybe he should have listened to the Moonboy and spoken to her about this whole adopted family thing, but he did not know _how_!

 

How would one talk about the fact that they adopted a child without said child’s knowledge?! 

 

“I’ve got to do it soon.” Snatcher said, clawing at his hair as the severity of the situation began to set in.

 

Hat Kid had talked about collecting Time Pieces, which meant she was gathering fuel for her spaceship, which implied she was _planning on returning to her home planet at some point!_

How far _was_ her planet anyways?! Would it take her a year to get there, two years, more?! Would she be _allowed_ to come back and visit?

 

If she left would he never see her again?

 

Snatcher had to blink back the tears that had started to gather in his eyes. The sheer thought of never seeing _his_ hat brat, _his kid,_ ever again left him feeling more heart broken than when _Vanessa_ left him locked up.

 

He had to say _something! Anything!_

 

But his heart clenched and his mouth felt like it had been sewn shut whenever he tried. Just _thinking_ about speaking to his daughter left him feeling petrified.

 

“I have to try.” The shadow said, clenching a fist as determination lit up his yellow eyes. “I have to let her know she has a home here!”

 

With a plan now formulated in his mind he set off, plunging through the shadows and hoping his newfound confidence would hold up.

 

He had lost his family once, he was not going to let it happen again.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

 

When Snatcher got back to where he had left Hat Kid, the sight that greeted his eyes was a combination of surprising and amusing.

 

Multiple Subconites were resting on top of the piles of snow that now adorned the sides of the path, some of which waved when they caught sight of their leader. Looking further down the main road yielded the same results. It looked as though the kiddo had gotten more than a little help from his subjects...

 

Snatcher smiled.

 

He had been beaten at his own game, and by his own _subjects_ to boot!

 

His was not sure if his pride should be wounded by the obvious loophole he had missed, or proud that his makeshift family had decided to work together in order to help its youngest member out.

 

The shadow then noticed Hat Kid and Moonjumper making their way back up the path, cheerfully chatting to each other as they did so. Of course Moonboy would have helped her out too, being the _amazing_ uncle that he was.

 

Snatcher floated forward, clapping his hands, which caught the attention of the duo in front of him. “Nicely done kid.”

 

The child looked up at him and smirked. “You never said I couldn’t have help!”

 

“Yeah, you found a little loophole there.” He chuckled, making her smile grow wider

 

“So can I get my umbrella back now?” And _that_ question made the faint grin on his own face fade, alerting Hat Kid that something was wrong.

 

But before she could ask he started speaking.

 

“I want to talk first,” He then glanced at the audience around them that was trying, and failing, to look casual as they eavesdropped. “ _Alone._ ”

 

Snatcher had no idea if it was the emphasis on that word or the flaring of his aura, but he got the results he desired. A majority of the smaller shadows vanished, with a few staying behind to get a pouting Moonjumper to leave. Finally they managed to drag the whining corpse away and an, oddly tense, silence engulfed them.

 

It was just him and the kid.

 

“Soooooooo,” He started to say, trying to sound casual as his ghostly heart pounded in his chest. “I heard you were planning on getting the rest of your Time Pieces.”

 

Hat Kid nodded, looking more than a little embarrassed, and sad, as she responded. “Yeah, I kinda forgot about them for a bit.”

 

_I got distracted because I was so happy and having so much fun with everyone..._

 

“And when you have all of them you’ll go back to your planet?” He hoped the child could not hear the nervousness or sorrow in his voice as he asked her the question.

 

She shrugged, but clearly this was not a good enough answer for the shadow who was growing more and more stressed as time went on.

 

_Please don’t leave me, please don’t leave me._

 

“What’re you gonna do, kiddo?” Snatcher asked, facing away from her in an oddly vulnerable manner.

 

Her voice was caught in her throat for a moment, from both the question and the powerlessness present in his tone, and after she cleared it she responded. “I’ll go back home and see Tim-”

 

“What about after that?” The shadow interrupted, and Hat Kid found herself at a loss.

 

She honestly did not know what she would do once she returned to her home planet. Of course it would be great to see the old man again and tell him all about her adventures, but as she thought about what she might do after her mind drew a blank.

 

What _would_ she do?

 

“I, I don’t know.” The child stammered out, hands grasping at her cape as she struggled to answer the question.

 

_I have to go home but I don’t want to leave, I want to stay here and be a family._

 

“Would you come back?” Snatcher asked, doing his best to suppress the trembling of his hands, one of the many signs of his worry.

 

When Hat Kid did not respond, still caught up in his previous question, panic flooded his heart and words began to fly out of his mouth.

 

“If you come back, Subcon will be open to you.” He was rambling now, fear building in him at the thought of _his_ _child_ leaving and never returning. “The Subconites, Moonboy, and I, we’ll all be happy if you visit us.”

 

He paused and silence descended once more, air still thick with tension.

 

The duo stared at each other, more than aware of the implications of Snatcher’s words. Though they had joked and teased each other about it often, calling one another _family_ aloud...

 

Neither was entirely sure they were fully ready for it, both terrified of the abandonment and pain that might occur if they embraced that title.

 

Hat Kid was scared to lose the family she had just gained, the _home_ she had made for herself on this planet, and Snatcher was not sure his soul would survive another heartbreaking incident. Both had built up a wall between their wounded hearts and the world as a way to protect themselves, but now those walls had been torn down, leaving them exposed.

 

It was an unfortunate predicament they had been caught in, and the ultimate test for how strong their connection had become.

 

“Kid,” Snatcher began, his voice hitching slightly as he spoke. “Just...”

 

He sighed.

 

“You’ll _always_ have a home here, alright?”

 

Hat Kid sniffled and did her best to brush away the tears that were gathering in her eyes. When she had accepted this mission from Tim, this was the _last_ outcome she had expected.

 

Yet it was somehow the best.

 

Suddenly she was scooped up in a warm hug, gently cradled against the shadow’s chest as he rocked her back and forth. She assumed her typical position and buried her face in the fluffy hair in front of her.

 

The duo stayed like this for some time, each basking in the unspoken comfort provided by the other. Of course they could not stay like this for too long, no matter how much they wanted to, and he reluctantly placed the child back in the ground.

 

“Well, it looks like you get this back, kiddo.” Snatcher muttered, holding his right hand up in the air.

 

A familiar, blue umbrella with yellow stars materialized in it, and he passed the makeshift weapon off to the child, smiling softly as he caught sight of the huge grin on her face.

 

She gripped the wooden handle and swung it through the air multiple times, testing it to make sure it was still good enough to attack with, and then put it away.

 

Hat Kid then flung herself at the shadow for yet another hug. He easily caught her and once more held her against him.

 

“You’re the best.” She said, voice muffled by his fluffy hair.

 

Snatcher chuckled and stole her hat, placing it atop his head.

 

“No you are, kiddo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Snatcher making some really slow progress on that whole talking to Hat Kid thing, but progress is progress!


	17. Cold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot has returned to this story! A familiar newcomer enters the forest and encounters a floating figure...

“Ugh, stupid snow!” The hooded girl muttered as she stomped her way through the snowy forest.

 

It had taken her _ages_ to get past the mounds of snow that blocked the entrance to her destination, but she had finally made her way inside the strange, spooky forest. She had never been near this part of her world and had no idea where she was going, but she had a mission to complete.

 

Get the Time Pieces!

 

Her goal had started out simple, find the Time Pieces and use them to defeat the Mafia, but it was turning out to be a bit tougher then she expected. Honestly, Hat Kid made it look sooooo easy!

 

At first she had tried to look for Time Pieces at that bird studio thing, but they kept wanting her to star in a bunch of dumb movies! Of course she had said no. Granted, this ended up in her being kicked out of the studio and banned for life, but still, who would want to star in their stupid movies!?

 

Hat Kid probably would, no she _definitely_ would!

 

Mustache Girl had left her foe a message in the basement just in case...

 

Anyways! She had then tried to look around Mafia Town some more, but it turned out that those dummies had collected the last of the Time Pieces and were keeping them for themselves! Of course she had no problem beating them up, the problem was how greatly outnumbered she was.

 

Ugh, if only that Hat Kid had been around, then they could have _crushed_ the Mafia, both metaphorically and literally, and gotten the Time Pieces for themselves! Or herself, since she would have just stolen them from her hatted partner.

 

Sometimes friendships had to be sacrificed in the name of pursuing justice and defeating all of the bad guys!

 

So what if she would have probably hurt her best, only, friend in the process!

 

Mustache Girl sighed, messing with her hood in an attempt to block the icy wind that tore through her clothing. At least she had managed to get revenge for those... _idiots_ messing with her plans!

 

Revenge in the form of turning on the lava faucets that is.

 

After realizing nothing more could be gained from Mafia Town the girl had managed to find a library, tiny stone building that looked more like a big shed than what it was supposed to be. From here she had tried to figure out if there were other places she could go to in order to find the Time Pieces and had stumbled upon two options.

 

Subcon Forest and the Alpine Skyline.

 

Choosing which location to go to had been rather simple. There was no way she would try to climb a _mountain_ just to see if there _might be_ some Time Pieces there, when all she had to do for the other location was walk through a forest!

 

Even if the name was kind of weird and slightly foreboding.

 

So she made her choice, she would search Subcon Forest for Time Pieces! Now instead of spending time to learn about the supposedly spooky forest, Mustache Girl figured out the fastest route to get there and set out, determined to make it there before Hat Kid!

 

Of course she was unaware that said child had already collected _all_ of the Time Pieces from this region, how often the hatted girl hung out in this area, and her collection of allies and mock family and how protective they were of the child.

 

In her haste she had also forgone learning about the forest, which meant she was completely unprepared for the massive amounts of snow she encountered during her journey.

 

With yet another grumbled Mustache Girl continued trudging through the heavy blanket of snow that covered the ground. Her hot headed temperament often caused her to forget to prepare herself whenever she left her home, but this was just ridiculous!

 

It never snowed in Mafia Town, nor was it snowing at that studio, so why was it snowing here?!

 

And why now?!

 

She was so cold even her _mustache_ felt frozen!

 

“Stupid snow!” The aggravated child shouted, kicking at a nearby pile of the fluffy particles, hitting a rock in the process.

 

“OUCH! STUPID ROCK!”

 

After hopping around in pain for a minute or so, verbally insulting everything around her the entire time, she walked back over to the rock that had caused her such pain, intent on damaging it as some sort of payback.

 

However as she got closer she noticed that her attack had knocked some of the snow off of it, revealing what the stone looked like. She bent down at got a closer look, now able to make out its strange shape, and the writing that was on it...

 

Wait a minute...

 

It dawned on her, she was not looking at a _rock_ , she was looking at a _tombstone_.

 

Mustache Girl paled.

 

Tombstones meant.... this was.....

 

“It’s a grave.” She whispered, heart pounding in her chest as terror began to race through her. Someone was _buried_ here, there was a _body_ underneath her.

 

How many graves must she have passed on her journey through the forest, Mustache Girl wondered to herself. There had been plenty of other snow covered “rocks” off in the distance near the natural cliffs that surrounded the forest.

 

How many people had died here, and _what_ had they died from?!

 

The snow picked up and began to get heavier, the wind howled around her. She could feel the cold further sinking into her clothing. She wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to stay warm.

 

There was a pricking sensation that ran up her neck, it almost felt as though she was being watched...

 

She whirled around, searching for who or what might be causing such a sensation. Okay, maybe it was a _very_ dumb decision to come here without being prepared, and it was _extremely_ stupid to not have told anyone where she had been going!

 

Not that there was anyone she could have talked to...

 

She had always been alone.

 

The oppressive sensation began to get stronger, but the girl could not tell where it was coming from. The trees and snow seemed to hide everything from her. It was as if the unnaturally silent forest was conspiring against her, aiding the monster so another grave could be added to the massive cemetery.

 

A tree branch snapped.

 

Mustache Girl ran like her life depended on it because it _most likely did!_

 

She pumped her arms up and down, kicking snow as she sprinted through the still silent forest. She could still feel the eyes burning into her shaking form as she fled from whatever was chasing her.

 

The terrified girl honestly had no idea what kind of creature would make its home in this forest. Was it a monster? A ghost? A demon of some sorts?

 

Mustache Girl did not want to find out.

 

She came to a swift stop as she noticed something in the distance in front of her, the sight of it making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

 

There was a figure.

 

_When had it gotten in front of her?!_

 

Thanks to the snow that was whirling around her she could barely make out what it looked like, but there was one thing she _could_ see, even with the snow obstructing her vision.

 

The creature did not have any legs.

 

Horror rose up in her heart as she stared at what was undoubtedly a monster, probably a _people killing monster!_ The thing looked so _unnatural_ , so strange that the sight immediately made all of her instincts scream at her to run, to flee!

 

It floated there, staring at her with its hidden eyes. She could easily imagine the malice that must have been burning within them.

 

Mustache Girl swallowed, body trembling both from fear and the cold.

 

Without warning the mysterious being started slowly approaching her, hovering over the frozen wasteland that separated them.

 

She was going to die here, all alone in some stupid forest!

 

The figure floated closer...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, I wonder who it might be....
> 
> Sorry about the shorter chapter but I wanted to leave you guys on a bit of a cliffhanger because I am evil! Don’t worry though the next chapter will be out soon, and it will be significantly longer than this one! 
> 
> Also I have up to chapter 23 planned out! I never expected this story to get so long, and I just wanted to take this moment to thank you guys for your support!


	18. Mend

The blurry figure floated closer and while Mustache Girl did her best to back away the howling blizzard slowed her progress. It was clear she would be forced to encounter whatever strange creature had been stalking her through the woods.

 

She let out a yelp, tripping over a hidden root, and fell back into the snow. The cold substance immediately sank into her clothes and skin, making her shudder. The wind, taking advantage of her wet clothing, tore viciously at her, making her colder with each passing second.

 

This had been such a _stupid_ idea!

 

Mustache Girl knew she should have stopped looking for Time Pieces after the whole Conductor fiasco, ugh the _fines_ , and done something else! But here she was, stuck in some snowy forest with a monster that would probably eat her face.

 

“I’m, I’m warning you don’t get any closer!” She shouted, ignoring the faint cracking of her voice.

 

The wind was howling, the snow was blinding, and she felt oh so _cold_!

 

The creature was getting closer but she _could not move_. The cold and the fear that she had desperately tried to deny earlier were sinking in and locking her in place.

 

She was, quite literally, frozen.

 

It did not help that the air was heavy with what she assumed to be malice or hatred. It felt like the entire forest was watching her, waiting to see what her next move was so it could react.

 

And then it was upon her, the floating figure that would seal her fate.

 

The curtain of snow that separated them was much thinner now and Mustache Girl could actually make out what it looked like. It had some weird red coat on, and its skin looked blue!

 

It paused directly in front of her and stared, red eyes glowing in the darkness. The figure then leaned down and smiled at her, pointed fangs and monocle shining in the faint moonlight. It opened its mouth and...

 

“Hello!”

 

Mustache Girl screamed.

 

The piercing noise ripped through the previous silence of the forest, shattering it like glass. The figure cringed and leaned back to escape how loud the scream was, and was then promptly hit in the face by a snowball.

 

“Stay away from me!” She cried out, another snowball ready in her hand in case she had to throw it.

 

The creature shook his head and wiped the snow from his face. While he was distracted the shuddering girl took the chance to sprint off into the woods, or she tried to.

 

_Riiiip!_

Mustache Girl stumbled and fell once again, this time landing face first in a snowdrift. Her short cape had gotten caught on one of the lower branches of a nearby tree, tearing apart and trapping her.

 

In her panic she focused more on struggling rather than freeing the fabric that had gotten her caught in the first place. In turn this only led to her getting progressively more tangled and fearful as time went on.

 

It was a vicious cycle that had ensnared the terrified girl, and prevented her from being away of the floating creature that drew ever closer.

 

A soft voice interrupted her, bringing with it a sense of calm and control that helped to dispel the emotions that had taken control of her in the first place. Her struggles began to cease, but she was still scared.

 

“It is okay, you do not need to be afraid.” The voice murmured. “I will not hurt you.”

 

Mustache Girl took a deep breath, shoved her fear down, and spun around to face whoever was talking to her.

 

It was the monster.

 

It took all of her strength to resist throwing another snowball at him.

 

The creature seemed to be aware of this and maintained his distance, hands raised in a placating gesture as he floated in front of her. They stayed liked this for some time, staring at each other, until her pounding heart finally began to slow down.

 

He seemed to have been waiting for this, as the moment she started to relax his hands dropped, and he began to make his way over to her.

 

Mustache Girl watched with wide eyes as the, oddly nice, monster slowly approached her. Now that he was closer she could see that his presence did not disturb the ground beneath him, which meant that he really _was_ floating there.

 

Was he some kind of ghost?

 

Finally the two were face to face, though not necessarily considering the height difference, and then the creature began to lean down.

 

He hesitantly placed a hand on her cape and gently removed it from the branch, making sure it was not ripped any further. Once the cape was free from the clutches of the tree she quickly yanked it out of the being’s grip.

 

Or tried to.

 

His grip was gentle but firm, preventing the distressed child from breaking free before he fixed the damage he had caused. He summoned his magic and multiple red strings began floating in the air. He ignored the girl’s startled gasp and got to work.

 

His eyes narrowed in concentration as he focused his magic, using each strand to repair the rip. Thankfully for Mustache Girl this process took only a couple seconds and her cape was soon let go.

 

“There, that should be better!” The creature chirped, a warm smile taking over his face.

 

Once again the girl was taken aback by how nice he appeared to be even with his monstrous appearance.

 

No one had ever been this nice to her back in Mafia Town...

 

Mustache Girl shook herself out of her thoughts and quickly checked over her cape, observing the vibrant red stitching that was the only sign of the damage that had been done. Curiously, she prodded the strange material.

 

It seemed to hum with some unknown energy, as if the magic that had been used to make it was still active and ready to be used.

 

“It is good, yes?” She jumped back with a yelp, startled by the sudden voice of the nice monster.

 

“Uh, yeah it’s fine-” The girl shook her head, snapping herself out of her thoughts.

 

_No!_ She had to focus and find out what was going on here!

 

“Just who the heck _are_ you?” Mustache Girl barked, taking a couple steps back in case the monster lashed out at her.

 

“I am Moonjumper!” The figure said, grinning down at her.

 

_Moonjumper, huh, a weird name for a weird monster._

 

“Alright, _Moonjumper_ , why were you being a creep and stalking me earlier?” She shouted, pointing him.

 

At least he looked embarrassed at his past actions, glancing down to the snowy floor and nervously scratching at the back of his head. “You seemed scared and lost. I wanted to help you but I did not want to make you more afraid...”

 

“So you _stalked_ me through the woods to make me _less_ afraid?”

 

Moonjumper blushed. “Well, I, uh-”

 

“It’s fine.” Mustache Girl sighed. “Now why are you _still_ here?”

 

“It is far too cold for you to be outside.” He tsked, gesturing towards some other section of the forest. “Please follow me so I can get you to shelter.”

 

The girl wanted to reject his offer and continue her mission of searching for Time Pieces, but an _especially_ cold breeze suddenly rushed over her chilled body, leaving her frozen to the core and desperate for heat.

 

So, with extreme reluctance, she nodded.

 

As soon as he saw the gesture Moonjumper set off, floating towards another part of the forest with Mustache Girl following him soon after. Once she caught up to him he offered to carry her to their destination, but she turned him down.

 

The girl had no idea if she could trust the creature to not drop her once they were high up in the air, no matter how nice he seemed.

 

He appeared to be more than a little disappointed at her answer, but quickly shook the feelings off and continued to float forward. Together the duo made their way across the snow covered ground and Mustache Girl was amazed to see that the scenery around her was slowly changing as they continued moving.

 

No longer was the forest its drab purple, here the snow was much lighter and interestingly enough some of the trees in this area were on _fire_ , though the blaze was an odd blue and green colour instead of the traditional orange, yellow, and red.

 

Finally after passing through the burning section of the forest they reached what appeared to be a path that cut through the large snowdrifts and, based on the excited expression on Moonjumper’s face, led to their destination. In almost no time at all they arrived, marked by the creature pausing in front of the larger clearing that housed many large tree stumps.

 

“Welcome,” Moonjumper began, gesturing to the various structures behind him. “To Subcon Village!”

 

This Subcon Village was just as strange as the rest of the forest. It too was coated in a layer of snow, though it was significantly lighter than the snow outside the village, and there were other creatures standing in place or walking around. They were around her height and appeared to be made out of shadows.

 

The creature gestured for her to follow him, which she did so with more than a little reluctance. She had never felt comfortable in crowded places, especially places that she had not been in before.

 

Mustache Girl walked past several of the shadows while following Moonjumper and could not help but cringe whenever their weird, glowing faces looked at her. The air felt heavy for some reason and she found herself playing with her mustache in an attempt to calm down.

 

Ugh, why were these shadow things so serious?! It was like they were mad or something!

 

But the tension left the air when Moonjumper smiled and waved at them, which made their glowing faces shine even brighter. She wondered if they were his subjects, or servants.

 

Of course a weirdo like him _had_ to have servant that were just as strange, if not more, then he was.

 

Luckily enough it appeared as though Mustache Girl would not have to spend that much time in the somewhat crowded clearing as she was soon led to a stump which, based on how different it was from the rest, was most likely where Moonjumper lived.

 

This stump was significantly larger than the others and had multiple windows cut into it that were covered by wooden shutters. Lights had been strung up around the perimeter of the home, each softly glowing a different colour. A large door covered the entrance but as the girl got closer she noticed that there did not seem to be a doorknob or anything that could be used to gain entrance to the structure.

 

Weird.

 

Before she could ask how they were supposed to get in Moonjumper waved a hand in front of him and the door slowly opened, granting the duo passage inside.

 

Her jaw dropped.

 

“Magic is quite useful, no?” Moonjumper said, a faint smirk on his face as he floated inside. Mustache Girl quickly followed and soon found herself inside of the creature’s home.

 

An, undoubtedly, stupid decision, but she was too cold to care.

 

The inside of the stump was significantly nicer than she thought it would be. There was a hammock resting against the wall opposite of her, several books scattered about, all if various states of being read, and a wooden stool beside the door.

 

She also noticed that there were several paintings hanging on the wall, most likely created by the floating being beside her. They all focused on either stars or the moon and while they were rather amateurish in nature they actually looked pretty good.

 

It was impressive for a goofball like him.

 

Her host gestured for her to take a seat on the hammock as she did so, being careful to not fall over and embarrass herself in front of him. Moonjumper then pulled the stool over so it was resting beside the swaying structure, and sat down.

 

“So,” Moonjumper asked, crossing his arms as he spoke. “Who are you?”

 

Who _was_ she? Well, that question had two answers.

 

The first answer that popped into her mind was to tell him the name that most, but that was not her _name_ , it was just what the Mafia called her. She had decided not to correct them because she did not want such horrible people to know her real name. Naturally her instinctive response was to continue to claim that her name actually was “Mustache Girl”.

 

But she was torn.

 

This monster who lived in this forest, the one that she had _attacked_ , had been far nicer to her than anyone else she had met. He had helped to calm her down and fix her cape in an attempt to right his wrongs.

 

And even now Moonjumper had taken her into his home to protect her from the freezing temperatures outside.

 

She _trusted_ him to keep her safe, a revelation that was both startling and welcome in her mind. It was also obvious that he trusted her to a certain extent, and since these mutual feelings were there...

 

She could trust him with her true identity.

 

The girl took a deep breath and spoke, uttering her real name for the first time in years.

 

“I’m Mu.”

 

Moonjumper did not bat an eye at her strange name. Instead he smiled at her and held out his hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you Mu!”

 

Mu took the offered limb and shook it, feeling a smile form on her face as she did so. She might not have found any Time Pieces in this strange place, but she had managed to gain an ally.

 

“Now what are you doing in Subcon?” The girl debated on lying but ultimately decided to be truthful. Perhaps he might be able to help her find what she was looking for.

 

“I’m looking for these hourglass things called Time Pieces.”

 

A strange expression crossed Moonjumper’s face, and Mu paused, uncertain as to what it meant. Did he _know_ what the Time Pieces were, had he seen them before? Or was it possible that he had met Hat Kid and learned about them through her.

 

“There used to be some, but they are not anymore here.” The creature replied, nervously glancing off to the side.

 

The girl sighed. She had been expecting this answer but was still disappointed by it. Now she either had to search the forest on her own, and possibly get frost bite in the process, or try looking in that other place she had heard of.

 

“It is far too cold for you to go outside. How about you stay here and we talk instead?” Moonjumper suggested, somehow easily sensing her internal battle.

 

She smiled and nodded.

 

Time slowly went by as Mu and Moonjumper spoke to each other. During their conversations Mu learned more about Subcon, the shadows she had seen earlier were called _Subconites_ , and Moonjumper managed to learn a bit about the girl’s past.

 

He had been very unimpressed when he found out that she lived on her own in a _cave_ , and those negative emotions had only grown when he heard about her treatment on the island. Then there was the fact that she never once mentioned anything about her parents or some sort of guardian.

 

It was as if she lived on her own, something that was certainly not safe for a child her age! Suddenly an idea formed in his mind, making the corpse grin in glee.

 

If Snatcher could adopt a child then he could too!

 

With this plan firmly in mind he sent a message over to the shadow, knowing he was spending the day in his tree with Hat Kid, alerting his other self of his intentions. Snatcher was confused, and slightly irritated that the intruder was a _child_ , but ultimately relented and agreed that it was best to meet the newest inhabitant of Subcon!

 

If all went well that is.

 

“I have spoken to my friend and he wants to meet you.” Moonjumper said, springing up off of the stool and into the air. “Come! We must make haste while the snow is calm!”

 

Mu opened her mouth to try and question the eager creature on what he was talking about, but he was out the door before she could utter a word. She quickly tried to get out of the hammock, keyword being tried, but found herself falling flat on her face.

 

Moonjumper floated back in, a _tsk_ escaping him as he caught sight of the disgruntled girl, and then picked her up.

 

“WHOA!” She yelped, unconsciously clinging to his red jacket as she was lifted up into the air. The creature chuckled and carried her off, ignoring the shouts thrown his way by the girl in his arms.

 

Moonjumper then floated out of the village and started following the path they had taken to get there. He continued to even after he had passed the section they had emerged from the forest out onto, and started going up a hill.

 

Mu squinted, catching sight of some lights that illuminated a strange structure. It looked like there was a tree up ahead.

 

What kind of weirdo would live in a _tree?_

 

Once the duo reached the top of the hill, revealing that their destination _was_ indeed the oddly carved tree, Moonjumper lowered himself and gently placed the girl on the ground. Mu huffed and straightened her clothes, taking the chance to brush off the light layer of snow that had collected on her.

 

“Is this where your ‘friend’ lives?”

 

“Oh yes!” Moonjumper nodded and gestured towards the entrance of the tree. “There he is!”

 

As the duo got closer, Mu carefully walking across the root that served as a bridge to the tree as the excited creature floated behind her, she could see who, or _what_ , Moonjumper’s friend was.

 

It was a shadow, a _huge_ shadow.

 

The new creature was hovering in the hollow of the, surprisingly nice, tree. His back was facing her so she could not make out a face, if he even _had_ a face. Strange tufts of purple hair surrounded his neck, like a fluffy collar of some sort, and instead of having legs a long, ghostly tail swayed below him.

 

It dawned on Mu that this creature might have been the one responsible for all of those graves in the forest.

 

She shuddered.

 

“Hello Snatcher!” Moonjumper cheerfully greeted, waving a hand at the ghostly creature in front of her. The girl desperately wanted to flee but found herself trapped thanks to the presence of Moonjumper behind her. 

 

The big shadow, _Snatcher_ , turned around at the sound of her guide’s voice, allowing the girl to catch a sight of the _familiar_ figure that had apparently been talking to him.

 

“You!” Mu shouted, jumping into the tree based home and pointing at her hatted foe.

 

“Hi Mustache Girl!” Hat Kid chirped, smiling at her former friend.

 

She knew how Mustache Girl felt towards her after the Time Piece incident, but that did not mean she felt the same way towards the older child. Besides, maybe the hooded girl had gotten over it?

 

Hat Kid hoped so.

 

“Actually, it’s Mu!” Moonjumper corrected, ignorant to the betrayed look coming from the girl beside him as he followed her inside.

 

Meanwhile Snatcher was glancing back and forth between the two children. He had no idea who this _Mu_ was, but it was apparent to him that his daughter had met her at some point during her time on this planet. Based on the tone of the other girl it might not have been a pleasant relationship though...

 

The shadow shifted so he was just a bit closer to Hat Kid.

 

“You have an actual _name?_ ” The child gasped, rushing over to her friend in excitement, knocking her father out of the way in the process. “You didn’t tell me you had a real name!”

 

“Well,” The hooded girl sputtered. “You never asked, you just assumed like those dumb Mafia!”

 

Hat Kid tried to interject but Mu kept on talking.

 

“Besides,” She scoffed, folding her arms and looking away from her old best friend. “You never told me _yours!_ ”

 

“But Hat Kid _is_ my name, or at least the one Tim gave me.” At the other’s disbelieving looks she shrugged.

 

“He’s never been good with naming stuff.” She then shook her head and focused on Mu once again.

 

“Why are you here anyways?” The child asked. She had a sneaking suspicion she already knew what the older girl’s plan had been but she wanted to hear Mu say it herself.

 

“I already told you, I’m looking for the Time Pieces!” The hooded girl shouted, narrowing her eyes in suspicion at Hat Kid. “You know where they are, don’t you?!”

 

Hat Kid nervously smiled and glanced down at the ground, fidgeting under Mu’s intense gaze. “Uh, well I already _got_ all of the Time Pieces here...”

 

A hollow feeling appeared in Mu’s chest. She felt numb and disappointed. Even though Moonjumper had told her that there were no Time Pieces left she had still hoped that there might have been one or two he missed, but with Hat Kid’s confirmation she knew she had failed her mission.

 

Which meant it was time for her to go back “home”.

 

There was a part of her that wondered if it was even worth it to go back to Mafia Town at this point. She had no tools to defeat the bad guys that had taken over the island, her daily routine was monotonous and felt as if it was slowly sucking the life out of her, and there was no one waiting for her.

 

There was literally nothing binding her to Mafia Town except for her belief that if she managed to free the island she would find out who her parents were.

 

But even now that belief was fading...

 

“Oh,” Mu mumbled, wrapping her arms around herself and looking at the floor. “I guess I’ll leave then...?”

 

She was oblivious to the concerned looks thrown her way from both Moonjumper and Hat Kid. The child tried to step forward and figure out what was going on with the hooded girl, but the corpse floated forward and pulled her back, shaking his head.

 

He had a plan, and it was a good thing he had already spoken to Snatcher!

 

So the creature floated forward until he was in front of Mu and crouched down, looking her in the eye. The disappointment was plain in her face, but he knew how to bring the smile he had seen earlier back.

 

“Well you could always stay here.” Moonjumper offered, a soft grin on his face.

 

“WHAT?” The trio unanimously shouted, completely stunned by the sudden change in topic.

 

“I can add another bed to my house _and_ we can get you some warm clothes.” The floating figure continued, ignoring the stunned looks that were thrown his way.

 

“Why?” Mu asked, completely taken aback by the offer _and_ the fact that he had basically just read her mind. “Why do you want me to stay here with you weirdos?!”  

 

“Because you do not seem to be happy with your current home, and you are not a bad person so you deserve to be happy.” He replied.

 

From what he had learned about Mu she was not a bad person. Definitely misguided but that was most likely due to the fact that she did not seem to have a constant adult presence in her life.

 

There was no one there to tell her right from wrong, to help her grow and mature.

 

Her mouth opened and closed while the other two watched on in silence. Hat Kid was smiling, realizing that Mu would get the chance to be as happy as she was, while Snatcher continued to float there in confusion.

 

He still had no idea who the heck this kid was!

 

It took Mu a few more moments to respond, still completely stunned by the offer. Her voice cracked as she spoke. “Uh, sure I guess I’ll stay here.”

 

“I have a cousin!” Hat Kid cried out, throwing herself at Mu so she could give the older girl a hug.

 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Back up!” Mu shouted, struggling to try and get the clingy child off of her. “Who said anything about us being _cousins?!_ ”

 

“Do not worry dear Mu, Snatcher will make an excellent uncle, though he will not be as amazing as I.” Moonjumper chimed in, sending the duo a smile. Snatcher huffed, flicking the corpse in the arm.

 

“Suuuuure Moonboy, whatever you say.” His sarcastic drawl drew laughter from both Hat Kid and Mu.

 

“Well, if you’re gonna live here then we have to set up some ground rules.” The shadow said, summoning a packet of papers, almost an _inch_ tall!

 

Mu winced, imagining how long it would take to read all those papers.

 

“Now, since the hat brat over there,” Snatcher began, ignoring the annoyed shout from the child. “Has stayed in Subcon for a while I’ve gotten to know her. You, on the other hand, I know nothing about.”

 

With that the bundle of papers was shoved into the hooded girl’s face, who had to quickly catch them or risk having them fall and make a mess on the ground. “Which means _I_ have to make sure you don’t mess up my kingdom!”

 

“On top of the rules I have listed there you’ll also need to sign a contract with me.” He added, smirk growing larger as he caught sight of the horrified look on Mu’s face.

 

Hat Kid was lucky she never had to sign one of his _larger_ contracts. Each one was usually at _least_ twenty pages of rules, never mind the actual part that had to be signed, which was typically another three pages. Plenty of legal documents with dozens of loopholes for him to exploit when needed, though he did not use these kinds of contracts that often.

 

Was it overkill? Yes, but he needed the extra assurance that both his subjects and family would be safe from their newest inhabitant.

 

_At least I could predict what Moonboy would do, I have no idea what this kid’s capable of!_

 

“Snatcher,” Moonjumper interrupted, a worried frown taking over his face. “Are you planning on taking her soul?”

 

“MY SOUL?!” Mu yelped, chucking the collection of papers off to the side, creating a giant mess in the process, and backed away from the shadow. Unfortunately for her she soon found herself pressed up against the wooden wall with no escape.

 

Snatcher sputtered, flailing his arms as he tried to regain control of the conversation. “Wait, just listen-”

 

“Hey!” Hat Kid suddenly shouted, catching everyone’s attention. “The snow’s getting worse!”

 

The trio, previous conversation dropped, looked outside and found the child’s words to be true. The snow that had previously been lightly falling from the sky was now significantly heavier, creating a curtain of white that was slowly blocking out the view of the surrounding forest.

 

Mu looked amazed at the spectacle, having never seen so much snow thanks to living in Mafia Town. Hat Kid shuddered, not from the increased cold that was somehow leaking through the protective barrier around Snatcher’s home, but from what the presence of the fluffy particles meant. Moonjumper just looked worried, and Snatcher...

 

His eyes had narrowed in suspicion. “Yes it is...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cough* Foreshadowing *cough* 
> 
> AND THE SUBCON FAM GROWS BIGGER! I need to think of an actual name for them...
> 
> Also I had a comment on FF.net asking about Thor and Timmy showing up in this story and I figured I might as well answer here too in case anyone had the same question. I could probably fit Thor in depending on how the plot evolves, but Timmy is a bit tough considering what his backstory was supposed to be.
> 
> Anyways I hope you guys enjoyed the latest chapter, please leave a review telling me what you think, and I'll see you in the next chapter!


	19. Kidnapped

Snatcher floated through the blizzard wasteland, every surface covered in a thick layer of snow that made his surroundings blur together, but he did not need his eyes.

 

No, he was looking for a certain icy _aura_ that did not belong in _his_ forest.

 

He should have known the moment the snow started falling in such a heavy manner that the spell he had used to seal the snowball in place had failed, allowing her to escape his watch and create havoc wherever she went.

 

Granted _she_ had not done anything yet, but that did not mean her intentions were pure.

 

Suddenly the howling wind carried a voice to his ears, giving him a message that made his dead heart pound in fear.

 

_“My Prince...”_

 

Snatcher whirled around, his hair standing on end, but saw nothing.

 

The blizzard was getting heavier.

 

“Where are you?” He snarled, flinging his magic around him in a slightly desperate attempt to hit his target, figure out where _she_ was hiding, but found nothing.

 

He did this several more times, ignoring the trembling that had begun to take over his body and the way that his hands shook as he sent out each wave of magic.

 

He was not scared, he _was not scared!_

He was terrified.

 

His _abuser_ , his _tormentor_ , his _murderer_ was hunting him in _her_ element. There was nowhere for him to hide, no shadows to manipulate, and he did not dare try to get back to Subcon Village with _her_ on his tail.

 

He would sooner die again than allow his subjects to suffer, allow his _family_ to suffer.

 

Snatcher had no choice but to face her, and he was not ready. For all that he had grown and developed over the past month, realizing he no longer loved the woman who had killed him, he had never once thought about confronting her. Even with Moonjumper backing him up, that had never been an option in his mind.

 

The snow crunched behind him and he lashed out with his magic once again, slicing a tree in half.

 

 _She_ was taunting him.

 

“Stop hiding like a coward and come out and fight me!” He howled over the roaring winds, hoping his challenge would goad her out from wherever she was hiding.

 

Nothing moved and the blizzard continued to grow stronger, completely isolating him from the rest of the forest.

 

And then _she_ arrived.

 

He could feel _Vanessa_ standing behind him, the sheer terror _her_ presence brought wracking his body. Before he could even move or try to flee he found himself falling to the ground, icy magic searing into his soul and leaving him immobile.

 

Just before he passed out he caught sight of her shadowy silhouette, and that hushed whisper repeated once again.

 

_“My Prince...”_

 

And then everything went dark.

 

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Moonjumper floated in the center of Subcon Village, arms folded across his chest as he stared out towards the path Snatcher had taken when he left.

 

It had been more than an hour since the shadow had disappeared on his mission and while Moonjumper could still sense his, oddly weak, aura, he was still absent. Needless to say the corpse was more than a little worried for his close friend.

 

It did not help that he had also spent quite a bit of time calming the Subconites down so none of them rushed into the sudden blizzard that had engulfed the area.

 

It was pure luck that Snatcher decided to move Hat Kid and Mu to Subcon Village rather than have them stay at his tree once he noticed the storm increasing in strength. Perhaps the shadow had already figured out the cause for the unnatural weather and felt it would be best for the more vulnerable residents of the forest to stick together, but he was still a bit annoyed.

 

Snatcher could have told Moonjumper where he was going, but _nooooo_ , he _had_ to be all mysterious and just _vanish_ on him!

 

The corpse sighed, ignoring the brisk winds that tore through his ripped clothing. Getting angry would not help anyone, he had to focus and figure out what to do next, especially if his suspicions turned out to be correct.

 

He hoped with all of his heart that he was wrong.

 

“Any sign of him yet, Moonjumper?” A soft voice questioned from behind him. He spun around and found himself looking at the worried face of Hat Kid.

 

“Not yet unfortunately.” He muttered, fingers flexing in agitation. “I fear the worst might have happened, and if it did then I will have no choice but to-”

 

“I’m going with you!” The child interrupted, fierce determination lighting up her watery blue eyes.

 

“Child-” Moonjumper began to speak, but he was cut off once again.

 

“I’m not leaving him when he needs me!” She shouted, tears now falling down her face as she came to her own conclusions as to what had happened to her father.

 

The story of his past, the madness she had seen in the creepy old lady when she had broken into her manor, it only made sense that Vanessa’s mind would snap at some point and lash out at the person who was, in her mind, at fault for everything that had happened.

 

Her father had been kidnapped, and Hat Kid would save him.

 

“Breathe, my dear.” The corpse murmured as he bent down to her level so he could give her a hug.

 

“We have to help him.” She whispered, the fabric her face was pressed into further muffling her voice. “Please, we _have to help him!_ ”

 

“And we’ll need a plan if we want to help that weird shadow.” Mu interrupted, marching out of the home she had been in to join the duo.

 

The hooded girl had been eavesdropping on the conversation and understood the gist of it. The spooky shadow had been kidnapped by some creepy lady who lived in the forest and now a rescue party needed to save him.

 

Well, she was _always_ down to kick some bad guy butt!

 

Besides, beating up the Mafia was getting to be _far_ too predictable. It would be nice to have a new enemy to fight against.

 

“You cannot be serious!” Moonjumper sputtered, backing away from the hatted child so he could look at both of the girls in front of him. “You will both be in grave danger if you come with me!”

 

“But families look out for each other, no matter what.” Hat Kid pointed out, Mu nodding along beside her.

 

The corpse sighed, realizing that he had lost this argument. “We will have to make our way to Vanessa’s manor as I have a feeling that is where Snatcher is.”

 

“Who the heck is Vanessa?” Mu asked, confusion present in her voice. Was Vanessa the old lady her bff had spoken about, or someone else?

 

Moonjumper shook his head. “That is a tale for another time. Now we must focus on saving Snatcher.”

 

One look at Hat Kid told him all he needed to know. The child was well aware of the negative history between Snatcher and Vanessa. Based on the terrified look on her face she had come to the same conclusion he had.

 

Which meant they had to take action before it was too late.

 

Moonjumper gently scooped Hat Kid up into one arm and lowered the other for Mu to climb into. He was _not_ allowing the children to walk through the powerful storm between the village and the manor. Not only would walking take far too long he had no idea what else might be lurking in the forest that Vanessa had unleashed.

 

Once both children were secured in his arms, each having a firm grip on his torn clothing, he floated over to the entrance of the village.

 

From here it was easy to make out the usually invisible barrier that surrounded Subcon Village. While there was still snow within the boundaries of the barrier, it was significantly lighter than the several _feet_ worth of snow that had already piled up outside of the barrier.

 

For a moment Moonjumper wondered what would happen if the snow continued falling. Would the village get buried?

 

What would happen to his home if he failed to stop Vanessa? What would happen to his people?

 

“So, you’re gonna find the Boss?” A soft voice questioned, breaking him out of his thoughts.  

 

The corpse spun around and found himself facing a hoard of Subconites and Dwellers that had soundlessly gathered behind him. The collection of glowing faces looked up at him, a combination of hope and fear radiating from their auras.

 

Hope that he would bring their leader back, and fear that they would lose their newest one.

 

It had not been hard for the residents of Subcon Forest to learn the truth about Moonjumper’s origins after all, mainly due to his aura. About a week after he revealed himself to the forest one of the Subconites had confronted him. He had done his best to avoid the questions as to who he actually was, but he had been cornered and forced to admit what his true identity was.

 

Interestingly enough few of the small shadows had been surprised by his statement, as if they had already known what he had told them.

 

Which they probably did considering his appearance and the fact that he acted like the Prince.

 

After that he had spoken to Snatcher about the incident and, instead of acting annoyed like he thought the shadow would be, his other self seemed relieved by the news.

 

From that day on he had been given the role of being Snatcher’s second in command. He would be responsible for protecting their people and the forest whenever the shadow was unable to. Moonjumper hated the implications of his words and so had their subjects, but now he appreciated the fact that Snatcher had been smart enough to create a chain of command in case he disappeared.

 

The shadow had been preparing for this moment, even if he had been unaware of exactly what would happen in the future.

 

“Everyone, please listen to me.” The request was soft but it was easy to see the intensified focus on the floating figure.

 

“I, along with Mu and Hat Kid, shall go and rescue Snatcher,” He began, pausing when shouts broke out, protesting the involvement of the children. He continued speaking when the residents of Subcon calmed down.

 

“I do not want them to join me in completing this mission either, but both were insistent that they help. I can assure you all that I will do everything in my power to keep them safe, no matter what.”  

 

Moonjumper would sooner die _again_ then allow harm to befall the children who now made up the center of his world.

 

“I wish for you all to remain here. I do not know if Vanessa has planned anything other than taking Snatcher and I do not want any of you to take that risk. Stay within the barrier.” He ordered, voice firm and allowing no room for argument.

 

“WE’LL SAVE SNATCHER AND BRING HIM HOME!” Hat Kid suddenly shouted, breaking the tense atmosphere. There was a determined look in her eyes, a fire that refused to be put out.

 

“I PROMISE!”

 

Cheering and well wishes broke out amongst the Subconites and the Dwellers danced through the air, ghostly magic trailing after them, a sign of their joy. The child’s words had encouraged them, bolstered their weakened moral and brought hope.

 

The corpse smiled as Mu joined the shouting, promising she would help defeat the one who had stolen their leader, drawing more cheers from the assembled crowd.

 

“Good luck you guys!”

 

“Stay safe!”

 

“Watch out for any traps that old hag might have set!”

 

“You’d better come back so we don’t have to save you guys!”  

 

With the encouraging words of his people ringing out behind him, Moonjumper, and the two children still cradled in his arms, left the safety of the village and began their journey to the manor. Unfortunately it was just their luck to encounter an obstacle the moment they left the protection of the barrier.

 

A massive curtain of white had taken over the world, blocking out their surroundings.

 

_Damn you Vanessa..._

 

“That’s a LOT of snow.” Mu wheezed, eyes wide as she took in the

 

Moonjumper shifted the children until they were both cradled in one of his gangly arms, leaving the other free so he could use his magic. He held his right arm out and summoned a single strand of magic.

 

Once the thread had solidified, the soft red glow easily standing out from the white that surrounded them, he closed his eyes and focused his intentions on the strand, giving it a purpose that would help them get to the manor.

 

“Please, take us to Snatcher.” The corpse mumbled, willing as much magic into the red strand as he dared.

 

He had to be careful not to alert Vanessa of his plan. He had no idea what she was capable of, or how unhinged she had grown during her solitude.

 

Suddenly the string violently began shaking, and then it shot off into the distance. Moonjumper swiftly floated after it, ignoring the startled yelps from the children in his arms. Both clung to him so they would not fall as he soared through the forest.

 

The heavy snowfall had made it nearly impossible to see their surroundings, but thanks to the strand that was now leading the way Moonjumper did not have to worry about bumping into any trees during his flight.

 

However this did not mean that the journey was free from danger.

 

“Watch out!” Hat Kid shouted, pointing to something off in the distance. Before Moonjumper could ask what she was talking about he was forced to dodge to the side as a figure lunged at him.

 

“What the heck?!” Mu yelped, clinging to the corpse even tighter. He did not answer her and instead focused on figuring out what was trying to attack him. The figure passed in front of the red string, allowing him to catch a glimpse of its outline, and he realized what it was right away.

 

It was one of Vanessa’s pets, an ice statue.

 

Luckily enough these creatures were born primarily of magic and ice, which meant they were not the same as the other ice statues that could be found in the manor.

 

A blessing since he did not want to fight the ice coated body of someone he once knew.

 

Moonjumper snarled, fangs flashing and eyes burning with a vengeful light as his magic struck out!

 

Dozens of red strings suddenly appeared in the air and mercilessly wrapped around their intended victim. In no time at all the strands completely covered the statue, locking it in place, and then they began to squeeze...

 

_Crack!_

 

The statue exploded into hundreds of tiny fragments, forcing the corpse to turn around in order to protect the children in his arms from the dangerous onslaught.

 

Once the danger had passed, the corpse and his companions continued to follow the red string to their destination. Luckily enough no more ice statues were encountered along the way, but the presence of the icy creatures could only mean one thing.

 

The bridge had been repaired, and who knows what could cross over.

 

 _Please_ , Moonjumper thought to himself, _please let the barrier back at the village hold until we can free Snatcher!_

 

He hoped with all of his heart that the statues had not been ordered to attack the Subconites and had instead been allowed to roam free. As much as he wanted to go back and check on the village, he knew saving his other self took priority.

 

Soon the corpse found himself floating over a familiar bridge that _had_ been repaired to his dismay, and was quickly flying through the remnants of the old village.

 

He kept his eyes forward, refusing to look down as a way to prevent himself from getting lost in his memories, and continued to soar through past the massive ice walls that surrounded Vanessa’s domain.

 

Arriving at the manor yielded an, _interesting_ sight, to say the least.

 

The entire building was covered in ice.

 

Thick chunks of the frozen substance hung down from the top of the building, giving it a much more foreboding appearance then it previously had. Several massive shards of ice, each larger than Snatcher, also shot up from the ground.

 

While the snowfall seemed to be absent in this section of the forest there was no denying that the building in front of them was the epicenter of the powerful blizzard that was currently ravaging the forest.

 

And where Snatcher was being held.

 

Moonjumper floated closer to the entrance, clutching the children tighter against his chest as he moved. Fortunately it seemed as though the ice statues that typically guarded the manor had disappeared, most likely into Subcon Forest, which allowed him to reach the entrance without any trouble.

 

The front doors were coated in a layer of ice that was _at least_ two inches thick, making them inaccessible to the trio. Of course Moonjumper _could_ use his magic to force them open, but he would risk alerting Vanessa of their plans.

 

A faint growl escaped him, frustration beginning to build as the severity of the situation ripped at him.

 

Mu, in an attempt to calm the aggravated corpse, reached out and gently placed a hand on the side of his face, catching his attention. She smiled at him.

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll kick this old lady’s as-” The hooded child glanced over at Hat Kid and quickly corrected herself. “Er, her _butt_ and free your friend in no time!”

 

Moonjumper chuckled, amused by both the attempt to help him calm down and the fact that Mu felt the need to censor herself around the hatted child.

 

He had heard her say _far_ worse when he had first started keeping an eye on her.

 

“We need to figure out another way to get inside.” He mused, now able to think properly thanks to Mu’s help. “I cannot just break the door down since Vanessa will hear me...”

 

“We can use the doors in the back!” Hat Kid shouted, remembering her first trip to the desolate manor.

 

“Excellent thinking!” Moonjumper beamed and swiftly floated around to the rear of the manor.

 

Just like the outside of the manor, the basement was also coated in a heavy layer of ice. No more water carpeted the floor, it had all been frozen over.

 

The corpse shuddered as he caught sight of the chains that were still attached to the wall, dozens of memories flashing through his mind about his imprisonment and death in the dank space.

 

Hat Kid, immediately recognizing what was going on with her uncle, reached up and did her best to hug him. The warm embrace snapped him out of his thoughts and he sent a grateful smile towards the hatted child.

 

Once they reached the hatch that led to the first floor of the manor, Moonjumper placed the children down on the stairs so his hands were free and braced them against the wooden doors. A frown appeared on his face when they would not budge. He huffed, squared his shoulders, and _heaved-_

 

With a _snap_ the ice gave way and the wooden doors were flung open, crashing against the ground above them!

 

The trio cringed and waited to see if anything would happen. Once a couple seconds passed and there was no sign of Vanessa, Moonjumper floated out of the basement, Mu and Hat Kid following a second later.

 

The first floor had, thankfully, been spared from the ice that seemed to have taken over every surface in the manor. There were only a few places that had a layer of ice on them, but even then the ice was thin and easily breakable.

 

Moonjumper tried to see if he could detect Snatcher’s aura anywhere and found that there was something that seemed to be messing with his senses. It felt like his mind was covered in a heavy layer of static when he tried to reach out and swiftly withdrew.

 

“Did you find him?” Hat Kid asked, having realized what he was trying to do.

 

“Unfortunately it appears as though Vanessa is blocking me somehow.” The corpse sighed. “I could not sense Snatcher anywhere on this floor, but he might be somewhere else.”

 

 _Or not in the manor entirely._ His traitorous mind whispered.

 

He did his best to ignore the thought, he did not _dare_ imagine that Vanessa had been smart enough to keep Snatcher trapped somewhere other than her manor, and tried to figure out what they would do next.

 

“Maybe the old lady wrote something down in her diary that’ll help us find Snatcher?” Hat Kid suggested.

 

Mu snorted. “A diary? How LAME!”

 

“She just might have...” Moonjumper muttered, glancing over towards the door that would take them to the second floor.

 

Well, looking for clues was certainly better than just sitting around and waiting for something to happen.

 

The trio swiftly and silently made their way over to where the stairs to the second floor were. Both children had to be careful and dodge some of the patches of ice that were littered about the floor, but luckily enough they were few in number and did little to hinder their progress.

 

As she quickly walked beside Moonjumper, one thought filled Hat Kid’s mind, repeating over and over again.

 

_Please, hold on Snatcher!_

 

**xxxxxxxxxx**

_Where... where am I?_

Snatcher groaned. His head ached and his body felt heavy, which was strange considering he was a shadow.

 

A sudden metallic rattling filled his ears. The noise reminded him of...

 

Chains.

 

His head snapped up and his swiftly looked at right arm, praying the noise had only been some sort of hallucination, but soon found that he was wrong. A metallic clasp had been attached to his wrist, and looking at his left arm offered the same conclusion.

 

He had been chained up.

 

_Again._

 

Panic and fear slammed into him, forcing the shadow to struggle in a desperate attempt to break the chains that were keeping him bound to whatever he was resting against. It did not feel like a wall, it was more like...

 

_Ice?_

 

Where had the ice-

 

Vanessa.

 

He had been kidnapped by _Vanessa_ of all people!

 

His struggles intensified but yielded no results. He was truly trapped, chained against an icy pillar.

 

Snatcher took a deep breath in and out, a desperate attempt to try and control the panic and fear taking over his mind.

 

 _It’s okay, just make a plan and get the_ heck _out of here before the ice_ bitch _finds me._

 

He quickly looked at his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was the doors in front of him, which implied that he was in some sort of house, probably _her_ manor, the next was that there were several objects that resembled furniture covered by some sort of fabric.

 

Was he in the-

 

Suddenly the doors in front of him opened, snapping him out of his thoughts, and there _she_ was.

 

_Vanessa._

 

A hunched over mass of shadows, a physical sign of her _corrupted_ magic, slowly moved towards him.

 

She paused in front of him, taking in his chained form. She stood a bit taller and for a moment pure nostalgia flowed through him, replacing the image in front of him with one from the past.

 

_His fiancé stood in front of him, soft ruby eyes glowing in the fading sunlight. She smiled, shyly playing with her hair._

_He could feel the grin that appeared on his own face. It was odd how nervous and flustered she could get when confronted with physical intimacy, cuddles left her a blushing mess, but it was one of the many things he loved about her._

_Never mind the fact that it helped him forget about the occasional fight that would break out between them, the Bacon Incident being the most recent one._

_He forgave her for that though, after all the past month had been rather stressful between him announcing his intentions to go to school to better prepare to take the throne and the swift progression of the engagement period._

_Yes, it was just the stress that was making her act so angry, nothing more._

_Her delicate hands reached up towards him and carefully cupped his face, thumbs brushing over his cheekbones. He leaned down, bringing their faces closer together. His breath mingled with hers and it almost felt like he could feel her pounding heartbeat._

_She loved him and he loved her. He knew she could never truly be angry with him, never truly_ want _to hurt him._

_It was just the stress, it_ had to be...

_Their lips touched-_

 

Snatcher snarled, fighting against both the chains and memories that tormented his mind. He might have shared many loving moments with Vanessa in the past, but those days were _gone_. She was the woman who had destroyed his kingdom!

 

_And his heart._

 

The shadow was snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed the figure in front of him move once again, bringing herself closer to him. Her gnarled, inky hands reached up, flexing as they neared his chest.

 

He struggled, futilely trying to escape her grasp.

 

 _“My Prince.”_ She seemed to purr the words as she gently ran her hands up and down his chest, the caresses undoubtedly reminiscent from their shared past.  

 

The sheer amount of nausea and disgust he felt when her hands traced his front let him breathless, head spinning from the _wrongness_ of it all.

 

There had never been a moment in his life where he wanted to throw up so bad.

 

“Get the hell _off of me!_ ” He hissed out, lashing out with his magic in an attempt to force her to leave him be.

 

Unfortunately the chains that kept him pinned were also suppressing his magic somehow, making it extremely difficult to summon it, never mind properly wield the powerful energy.

 

He was trapped.

 

There was no possible way for him to escape on his own. He had no magic, and worst of all _Vanessa_ was... _cuddling him!_

 

It looked like Snatcher was stuck waiting to be rescued.

 

_Hurry up and save me, Moonboy!_

 

**xxxxxxxxxx**

 

“This,” Hat Kid muttered as she took in what used to be the old lady’s bedroom. “Is _not_ what this place looked like the last time I was here!”

 

Everything was covered in ice, a theme that was becoming far too common for Moonjumper’s comfort, and just about every piece of furniture had been destroyed. There were shattered fragments of the closet and bed scattered everywhere, the only thing intact was the desk and even that was inaccessible due to the ice covering it.

 

The trio spread out, Mu and Hat Kid walking slowly while Moonjumper floated above them as they tried to figure out what had happened and where their shadowy friend was being held. Hat Kid shuffled over to the intact desk in search of a diary entry that might have a clue while Moonjumper floated over to where some letters had been frozen to the wall. Mu stayed close to the door, but she was checking out everything nearby, including the bed that had been shoved to the side.

 

An aggravated hiss escaped the hatted child as she realized that not only did it look like the diary or letters had not been added to, she would not be able to _check_ and see if there was any important information underneath the pages due to the ice coating them.

 

Meanwhile Moonjumper was having the same amount of luck with his search. He had originally been drawn to this area because of the paper that had been attached to the walls, hoping that the writing would provide some sort of clue. Unfortunately the pages just contained scribbles and repeated words.

 

 _My Prince, I love you, need you, must stay with me,_ and _cannot_ were just an example of the fragmented thoughts that had been marked down by the insane Queen.

 

It was _disturbing_ , to say the least, especially considering that all of them were about him.

 

“Hey, you guys should see this!” Mu shouted from near where the bed used to be, excitement coating her voice.

 

Hat Kid and Moonjumper quickly joined her, the younger child nearly falling several times on the slick ice as she rushed back over.

 

“I was checking out this wall and look what I found.” She gestured over to the wall and the corpse floated closer, inspecting the structure and feeling stunned at what he found.

 

The wall had been pushed back somehow, as if it was actually a panel that hid the entrance to...

 

“A secret room.” Moonjumper breathed, awe taking over his face. “I cannot recall Vanessa ever mentioning that she had _this_.”

 

“Great job Mu!” Hat Kid beamed, making the hooded girl’s chest puff up with pride.

 

Moonjumper floated forward, braced his hands against the partially open wall, and _heaved!_

 

With a heavy groan the wooden paneling slid backwards and then began to retract into one of the walls it had been connected to, disappearing from sight. As the hidden door faded from view a sharp, icy breeze floated out, nipping at the shivering children.

 

Moonjumper placed himself in front of them, taking a protective stance against whatever might face them.

 

There was an air of menace that oozed out of the secret room, making the children beside him want to flee, but they stood firm and held each other’s hand. They were not going to abandon him to whatever lurked within this forgotten space.

 

It was a touching gesture, even if Moonjumper would have preferred that they be out of the manor completely.

 

Once the trio set foot, or in the corpse’s case floated, into the room several things became apparent right away.

 

The first was that the entire room was coated in ice, but unlike the rest of the manor the ice here seemed _older_ somehow, as if it had been here for longer.

 

From the floor to the ceiling, nothing had been left untouched. The ice was also several inches thick, making the room seem far smaller than it appeared. There was no visible furniture in the room.

 

The next thing he noticed was that there were statues littered about, but knowing Vanessa’s ability Moonjumper could easily guess that the terrified figures around them had actually been _people_ at one point, frozen to death. He could not help but wonder when they had died considering the location of the room they had been trapped in.

 

Had Vanessa killed her subjects while he had been locked up or _before_ that moment...?

 

However there was one specific figure that caught Moonjumper’s eye, and he floated closer to it, oblivious to the worried looks he was getting from the children.

 

The figure was slightly curvaceous in nature, leading him to believe that he was looking at a women who used to live in the forest, but there was something familiar about her that made alarm bells ring in his mind.

 

Her long hair that was held back in one large braid with some of the strands hanging over her forehead. She wore a simple dress with some sort of apron over top of it that contained many pockets.

 

He could easily imagine the beaming grin that would appear on her face when she handed someone-

 

_No._

 

It was...

 

_No..._

It...

_NO!_

 

The corpse reacted in an instant. He quickly flared his magic out and freed the ice coated person from the ground, carefully pulling her close. Moonjumper clutched the corpse to his chest, hugging the frozen girl as best he could, and wailed her name to the heavens.

 

_“CHRISTINE!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well the angsty plot had to make a comeback at some point!
> 
> By the way, I wonder how many of you remember Snatcher's back story? :P


	20. Rescued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about not updating for a bit, I took a break, played some games, fell in love with Octopath, but now I’m back and ready to write!

_“CHRISTINE!”_ The pain filled shout reverberated up from the lower levels of the manor, reaching the attic and in turn the inhabitants who were there.

 

One remained unmoved by the raw agony and grief that was present in the shout, unaware of exactly what the speaker was shouting about, but the other...

 

He recognized that voice, and that name.

 

The corrupted being in front of him let go, moving back so she could investigate the source of the noise, or she would have if Snatcher had not spoken.

 

“What did you do?” He whispered, horror clearly present in his voice.

 

Vanessa merely tilted her head to the side, obviously unaware of the volatile emotions that were currently filling the trapped shadow as he imagined just what that shout meant. His imagination ran wild and suddenly the image of Christine, his close childhood friend, frozen to death filled his mind.

 

Her warm smiles, the sound of her laughter when she shoved him into a pond, the serious expression on her face as she delivered the warning he had _stupidly_ not heeded-

 

The shadow snapped.

 

“ _WHAT_ , DID YOU _DO?”_ Snatcher roared, desperately trying to break out of his icy bonds to attack the apathetic creature that had been cuddling him moments ago.

 

“WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO CHRISTINE?!”

 

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Moonjumper sobbed, cradling the oddly limp frozen corpse against him. He gently rocked the too still body back and forth. His tears trailed down his face, splashing as they landed against the lady’s face.

 

Hat Kid watched the scene, feeling oddly numb at the sight in front of her. She might not have known Christine personally, only recognizing her from the storybook and Snatcher’s tale, but she still mourned the loss of the woman her father had been friends with.

 

She seemed like a nice lady and was someone the child would have happily been friends with.

 

Meanwhile Mu, confused as to what her guardian was crying about, remained near the entrance of the room. She did not feel comfortable with getting too close to him, certain if she tried to comfort the weeping figure she would just say something to make him feel worse, so she kept her distance and hoped that he would feel better soon.

 

_Ugh, looks like this old lady_ really _messed everyone up!_ The hooded girl thought to herself, angrily picking at her clothes. _I can’t wait to beat the crap out of her!_

 

But her plans would have to wait until they were able to figure out just _where_ Snatcher was being held.

 

Mu growled and paced back and forth, hands flexing in irritation as she glanced at Hat Kid and Moonjumper. Hopefully her friend would soon speak up and help the sobbing figure before she had to do something...

 

How did _Moonjumper_ know who the lady was, the hatted child wondered as she contemplated what to do next.

 

She supposed that he might have lived in the village with the flower girl, but then he must have known Snatcher too, which did not make sense since he had been _hiding_ from the shadow when she first met him.

 

So what was the answer?

 

Suddenly an idea formed in her mind. It was outrageous, unthinkable, and yet...

 

The red outfit, the chains on his wrists, and even what he said to Snatcher all those weeks ago when he had first seen the shadow, about _being_ him.

 

It all made sense.

 

“You’re the Prince.” Hat Kid whispered, understanding blooming within her mind.

 

Silence reigned in the frozen room, the corpse in front of her going still as the words registered. _This_ was the reason why he had hoped Snatcher would speak to her, tell the child the truth before she found out on her own.

 

It felt... _wrong_ to keep something so important hidden from his family.

 

_Better late than never_ the corpse thought to himself, the tension bleeding out of his frame.

 

“Both yes and no, dear niece of mine.” Moonjumper sighed, rising off of the ground but still holding Christine’s body to his chest. 

 

“I am but one half of the whole, a fragment of who the Prince used to be. Snatcher is the other half.” He muttered, glancing at the child and wincing when he noticed the look of betrayal in her eyes.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Hat Kid cried, fists clenching at her sides. “That you and Snatcher were... _are-_ ”

 

“Because we are not the same.” Moonjumper interrupted, now noticing the curiosity and confusion present in Mu’s eyes.

 

It looked like he had a _lot_ of explaining to do once the shadow was saved.

 

“I shall explain more after Snatcher has spoken to you about it.” And with that he started floating away, ignoring the confused looks that were being sent his way. Hat Kid and Mu quickly started trailing after him, occasionally slipping on the still frozen floor.  

 

The corpse then made his way towards the entrance to the room, careful not to bump the body in his arms against the doorframe. Once he reached the remains of what used to be Vanessa’s bed, a broken mess of a bed frame with blankets, he carefully laid Christine down, doing his best to make sure the ice that now made up her body did not break in the process.

 

Every single gesture he had towards the woman’s body conveyed just how much he cared about her.

 

When he was certain Christine was settled and not at risk of being harmed, he turned around and found Hat Kid and Mu watching him with wide eyes. Moonjumper smiled softly, the look bittersweet, and floated back over to them.

 

“Please give me a moment.” He uttered, voice cracking with some unknown emotion.

 

Hat Kid, now fully concerned by the behavior her uncle was exhibiting, did her best to join him as he made his way over to two of the other ice statues within the room, no doubt the frozen bodies of other people who lived in the forest. These ones were hugging, or appeared to be until the duo got closer.

 

The taller figure, an older man, had his arms wrapped protectively around the woman in his embrace. His frozen face portrayed an expression of fierce devotion and love as he desperately tried to protect her from the attack that had left the couple in their current state.

 

He had died trying to protect his significant other, but at least they had been together in the end.

 

The hatted child frowned as she noticed something familiar about the man. There was something about his face and stature, it looked like one she had seen before, and even the woman’s hair reminded her of-

 

A sharp gasp escaped Hat Kid.

 

_There was no way... and yet those people were so similar to.... they had to be his... his-_

 

“Your parents.” She wheezed, tears already leaking from the corners of her eyes.

 

Mu, who had decided to follow the hatted child, rushed over to try and figure out what was going on, on top of comforting the now crying child. Her hushed whispers filled the room as she pulled the hatted child close, hugging her as she did her best to sooth her tears.

 

Meanwhile the corpse was completely oblivious to his sobbing niece, mind consumed by the image of his dead, frozen parents standing in front of him. Memories flickered in front of his eyes, he and his father gazing up at the stars, his mother making soup for him when he got sick from staying out so late.

 

“I am sorry.” Moonjumper whispered, tears gently falling down his face as he kissed his mother’s cheek, and then his father’s. “I failed you back then, but I will _not_ this time.”

 

A shuddering wheeze escaped him, a desperate gasp for breath. His sorrow was rising up, pulling him under, but he had to stay strong. “I could not protect my old family from _her_ wrath, and I will not let my new one fall to it.”

 

He would sooner die then allow Hat Kid or Mu to meet the same fate his parents had. He would rather be tortured for an eternity then allow that to happen.

 

Another choked sob, and then a strangled shout escaped him. “I _promise_!”

 

Suddenly a sharp burst of _something_ filled the air. It was so powerful that the children, who would typically be unable to sense such energy, felt the powerful sensation claw at their backs, leaving them shivering.

 

Moonjumper, more versed in understanding what kind of aura that was and who it had come from, shot out of both of the rooms and glanced down at the door at the end of the hall.

 

The one that would lead to the attic.

 

_Snatcher-_

 

“He is in the attic!” Moonjumper shouted, previous sorrow momentarily forgotten in favor of focusing on the rescue mission once again. Hat Kid and Mu quickly rushed out to join him, still slipping on the ice as they moved.

 

It took all of Mu’s willpower to not break down and start cursing in front of the hatted child.

 

Together the trio raced down the icy hall, Moonjumper floating ahead as his magic collected in his hands, and prepared themselves for whatever they would face. Hat Kid had her trusty umbrella and Mu, well she was not against using her fists to put an end to the old hag who had made her new family so upset.

 

As she ran down towards where her father was being held, a single thought surfaced in the panicked haze that had consumed Hat Kid’s mind.

 

_Snatcher, we’re coming, please stay safe!_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

 

“ _My Prince_.” Vanessa cooed, oblivious to the fury radiating off of the shadowy form as she walked back over to him, arms stretching out to hold onto him once again.

 

Disgust and anger filled his heart. Snatcher snarled. “Shut it you _bitch_ , and tell me what the hell is going on! What did you do to Christine?!”

 

Vanessa ignored him and continued moving forward. Her aura no longer held the same icy bite it had before, it was much calmer and felt like a cool breeze on a warm day.

 

A comforting relief that could summon a blizzard if it grew too strong.

 

He cringed back away from the touch and felt sickened as fear rose up in him. He despised how weak he was in the face of his abuser, how _fearful_ he was. His mouth was sealed shut but his mind begged for mercy.

 

_Please don’t touch me, please don’t touch me, please don’t touch-_

 

“GET THE _PECK_ AWAY FROM MY _DAD!_ ” A familiar, feminine voice shouted, destroying the tense atmosphere that filled the attic.

 

Vanessa backed away to get a look at the intruders, allowing the shadow to see who had arrived to save him. He was unsurprised to see Moonjumper floating there, he knew that his other self would have gone looking for him not long after he disappeared, but the two figures beside the corpse made the shadow’s body grow cold with fear.

 

Hat Kid and Mu.

 

Hat Kid.

 

_She was in grave danger._

 

His parental concern overrode just about every logical thought in his mind, except for the one that shrieked _she called me dad again_ , and set his very soul on fire with a combination of multiple emotions.

 

Unfortunately for him it seemed as though Vanessa had also heard the child’s statement, her body flickering sharply as her magic began to rise in tune with her emotions. She surged towards his daughter, a storm of hatred and anger that sought to destroy whatever would take her “Prince” away.

 

And the shadow lost it.

 

“DON’T _TOUCH_ MY _DAUGHTER!_ ” Snatcher roared, throwing as much of his magic and anger together as he could. He then lashed out at the restraints holding him back in a desperate attempt to break free and protect _his_ child-

 

_Snap._

 

The chains broke and Snatcher was free.

 

He lunged forward, ghostly body a blurry mess of magic due to his own heightened emotional state, and slammed into Vanessa!

 

The shadow knocked the shrieking figure away from his family, hissing venomously and clawing at her wispy form and while he did not draw blood he momentarily disrupted the corrupted magic that held her together, forcing her body to fade slightly as more wounds appeared.

 

His magic lashed out, chains forming out of shadows, the same ones she had used to bind him, and began wrapping around her writhing form.

 

In almost no time at all Vanessa was quickly pinned against the wall, shrieking and struggling but unable to move and inch. Soon after small strands of red magic floated over to the chains, fusing with them and further strengthening the magic that kept the corrupted human immobile.

 

Snatcher glanced over at the now exhausted Moonjumper and smiled gratefully at the corpse.

 

Once he was certain Vanessa was no longer able to break free from her bonds he let her go and backed away, adrenaline fading and leaving him exhausted, but there was still something he needed to do.

 

Snatcher spun around and scooped Hat Kid up in his arms, cuddling her close to his chest.

 

“Are you okay?” He whispered, oblivious to the furious shrieks coming from the chained beast.

 

Hat Kid merely smiled, nodded, and wrapped her arms around his neck as best she could. Faint sobs left her as the realization that her father was _safe_ sank in, never mind that fact that he had called her his daughter during those tense moments.

 

Snatcher cooed softly and rubbed her back, not looking as the squealing Moonjumper who was more than happy with the sight in front of him.

 

Neither of the adults nor the child with them noticed Mu walking over to the wall closest to her. She had seen an odd, white glowing thing out of the corner of her eye and, curious, she had decided to investigate. Now that the hooded girl was closer she could see that it appeared to be a sheet of paper that had been stuck to the wall.

 

Mu jumped up and plucked it off, holding the page in front of her as she read the words that were written on it.

 

She cringed.

 

“You didn’t tell me that creepy old hag liked,” She paused and shuddered.  “ _Poetry._ ”

 

The words immediately caught the attention of Snatcher and Moonjumper, who swiftly floated over, Hat Kid still cradled in the shadow’s arms.

                                                                 

The corpse gently lifted the page out of the girl’s grasp, ignoring the shout that escaped her, and read the words that had been written there. The oddly prophetic phrasing combined with the powerful magic aura that practically _oozed_ out of the sheet led him to one, horrifying conclusion.

 

“She has been cursed.” Moonjumper breathed, nearly dropping the paper in shock.

 

“ _What?”_ Snatcher hissed. “What the heck do you _mean_ she’s cursed?”

 

Hat Kid, curious as to what her uncle was talking about, jumped out of her father’s arms and walked over so she could read the page. While the words were pretty boring in her opinion, there _was_ something about the way it made her feel.

 

It felt like the paper was _evil_...

 

“It might not just be her,” Moonjumper continued, oblivious to the enraged shadow beside him. “The entire royal line might have been cursed at some point!”

 

“ _CURSED TO DO WHAT?!”_ Snatcher roared, snapping the corpse out of his musings.

 

The corpse paused, trying to figure out how to word both his discovery and hypothesis.

 

“The words on the paper are not a poem.” He began, aware of the three sets of eyes on him. “They are a curse that seems to have been placed on the royal family at some point in the past.”

 

Moonjumper paused when he noticed the growing horror in Snatcher’s eyes. When the shadow opened his mouth to speak the corpse lifted a hand, gesturing for him to remain silent. “I do not know who would do such a horrible thing, or why, but I can estimate how old it is.”

 

He sighed. “Based on the strength of the magic of the paper, the curse must be at least three hundred years old.”

 

Snatcher wheezed. “Three _hundred_? That’s not-”

 

“But it does explain the royal courting process.” Moonjumper interrupted, holding the sheet out so the shadow could read the words written on it. “And why our kingdom functioned the way it did.”

 

As his eyes scanned over the damming words on the page a memory appeared in his mind, one of Vanessa at her mother’s bedside, clutching a fragile limb belonging to a body that was quickly giving out...

 

“Vanessa’s mother.” Snatcher mumbled, recalling what had happened with the old king and queen of the kingdom. “She died, but before that her _husband_ died, and all of those rumors-”

 

“She did poison him.” Moonjumper interrupted once again. “The curse she was under, the line about _testing her heart_ , she must have thought he no longer loved her and she…”

 

The corpse paused, hands clenching as the connections continued to form in his mind, the situations that led to this moment making more and more sense as he thought about them. Everything from the courting process, needed to find the soulmate of the cursed heir, to the rigorous checks done by the Royal Council, obviously to make sure the relationship was a strong one.

 

He wondered who else must have known about the curse, and how Vanessa managed to find the sheet of paper in the first place.

 

“The curse must have impacted Vanessa in the same way when the Prince decided to focus on his studies, or felt passionate about anything other than her.” Moonjumper mused, making sure to use the name that had been agreed on to describe the Prince rather than referring to himself.

 

This whole situation was confusing enough without acknowledging his and the shadow’s shared origin.

 

“Are you trying to excuse what she did to our people?!” The shadow snarled, talons flexing as he restrained himself from tearing into the shuddering, broken woman still pinned against the wall.

 

He had never seen Moonjumper look so offended.

 

“What she did to our people, _innocent people_ , was _inexcusable_ and _inhumane_.” The corpse hissed, red magic flaring around his tensed form. “But, at least now we know the reason as to _why_ everything happened.”

 

Silence reigned for a moment as his words sunk in. Hat Kid had a decent understanding as to what Moonjumper was talking about, recalling Snatcher’s story about his old life, and had pulled Mu off to the side so she could fill the older girl in on what the adults were talking about.

 

Needless to say Mu had finally found something she hated more than the Mafia.

 

“Why didn’t she tell _me_?” Snatcher whispered, despair filling his voice. The words seemed to reverberate in the quiet room, further amplified by the pure pain and sorrow present in his voice.  

 

If he had known about this _curse_ before he had gone to school, before he had become _engaged_ to Vanessa, so many things would have been different.

 

So many lives would have been _saved_.

 

“Snatcher,” Moonjumper sighed, breaking the shadow out of his dark thoughts. “She might not have known, or truly understood what was going on. Besides, there is something I need to show you.”  

 

“Great!” The shadow sarcastically shouted, throwing his arms up into the air. “Something else to make this day even _worse_?”

 

Off to the side Hat Kid winced.

 

“Please follow me.” The corpse then floated towards the entrance of the attic and back down the stairs, Snatcher and the children quickly following. It was obvious no one wanted to stay in the same room as the cursed being, even if she was being restrained.

 

The group then made their way over to the bedroom, Snatcher becoming more confused as he recognized what their destination was. He wanted to open his mouth and ask Moonjumper what it was he needed to see, but some part of him felt _scared_.

 

He was scared about what he might find, what his other self wanted to show him.

 

Once they reached the opening of the room the corpse spun around and faced the children. Mu easily noticed how weary her new guardian seemed, and wanted nothing more than to go back to the attic and attack the one responsible for his suffering, make her pay in whatever way the hooded girl could.

 

“Children, please wait out here.” He said and the duo immediately understood why.

 

Even though Hat Kid wished she could be there for her father, recalling what they had discovered in that room, she knew he needed time to himself in order to fully understand the sights that lay inside.

 

The frozen bodies of the people he had been closet to during his life.

 

Mu nodded and pulled the hatted child close to her, knowing that the moment the two adults disappeared from sight she would probably start crying.

 

Heck, watching Moonjumper cry earlier had nearly brought her to tears too!

 

With that the adults silently entered the bedroom and Hat Kid began crying, wishing with all of her heart that her father did not have to learn the truth of what was in that room.

 

The shadow let out a sigh as he entered the familiar space, easily recalling all of the moments he and Vanessa had spent here, him reading his books as his fiancé played with his hair. It was actually rather bittersweet to be here but he did not know why Moonjumper-

 

The sight in front of him made him pause, horror flooding his body as he realized why his other self had wanted him to come here.

 

_It can’t be-_

 

“Christine?” Snatcher whispered as he stared at the frozen body of the woman who had tried to prevent the mess that had destroyed their home.

 

He floated forward and nearly collapsed onto the bed her body had been placed on. The passage of time and the ice that coated her body had not changed her appearance in the slightest, and the shadow could easily imagine her getting up and acting like nothing had gone wrong.

 

It was… _eerie_ how lifelike her dead body was.

 

“It’s my fault.” He muttered, talons gently tracing the contours of her frozen face. “She tried to warn me but I didn’t listen-”

 

The shadow turned his head to the side, desperate to look away from the horrid sight of his frozen friend, when he noticed two familiar figures out of the corner of his eyes standing in a room he never knew existed.

 

_No._

 

Every part of his mind wanted to reject what he was seeing, pretend he was having a nightmare or that it was an illusion _Vanessa_ had conjured up, but the sorrowful look on Moonjumper’s face told him that the sight in front of him was _real_.

 

“ _Mom?”_ He wheezed, disbelief and despair filling him at once. “ _Dad?”_

 

Snatcher gazed upon his parents, locked in an eternal embrace, and broke down.

 

_“DAMMIT!”_ He howled, sorrow and self-hatred filling his heart as he slammed his ghostly talons into the frozen floor, cracking it with his strength. “ _DAMMIT, IT’S ALL MY FAULT!”_

“IF ONLY I HADN’T FALLEN IN LO-” His words were cut off by a choked sob, and he scratched at his eyes in a desperate attempt to get rid of the tears that filled them.

 

What right did he have to be sad, to _mourn_ , his actions had _caused_ this mess! His people had suffered and it was _all his fault_!

 

_It’s my fault my people suffered, and continue to suffer. If only I’d been a better prince…_

 

“Snatcher.” Moonjumper mutter, gently embracing his friend and other self. His gangly arms wrapped around the shadow, chains rattling at the movement. “It is alright my friend, let it out.”

 

So Snatcher wailed. He screamed and shouted as loud as he could, forgetting about the children waiting outside the room in his grief stricken state. He cured Vanessa, her family, and most of all himself.

 

He cursed his weakness, his failure to recognize that something else had been going on with the woman he loved, and the fact that his family had died not knowing his true fate.

 

_He never got to say goodbye._

 

Finally after what felt like an eternity passed the shadow began to calm down. His wails quieted to near silent sobs, his body stopped shuddering, and Moonjumper no longer felt like he was the only thing holding his friend together.

 

Snatcher wiped the tears from his eyes and floated back up, more than aware of how close Moonjumper was to him.

 

He then looked around the rest of the room, noting the other figures present. There was the Royal Advisor, multiple members of the Royal Court who helped to manage the territory the old kingdom used to have, and even some other people he recognized from the village.

 

People who were innocent and had done nothing wrong.

 

People who had been murdered by Vanessa when the curse had taken over her, turning her into a near mindless beast that lashed out at everything around her.

 

And they had been trapped here for so long...

 

Snatcher looked up, a bright light filling his yellow eyes. It was not sorrow like Moonjumper expected, it was almost as though he felt determined about something.

 

It looked like he had a _plan_.

 

A massive grin stretched across the shadow’s face as he spoke, hope filling his words.

 

“Let’s go Moonboy...”

 

Snatcher’s gaze drifted upwards and the expression on his face turned solemn.

 

“It’s time to set them free.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we have the reason behind why Vanessa freaked out so bad and did what she did. Now like Moonjumper mentioned this does not in any way excuse her actions, it only makes them understandable. 
> 
> But now that the ice queen has been dealt with there are other issues our protagonists have to deal with... 
> 
> ALSO I HAVE FANART???? 
> 
> Yes the wonderful MoonSanatcher on Archive of Our Own has drawn up a couple scenes from certain chapters of Snowcon Forest (thank you so much I'm honored you actually made ART about this story that's so nice!!!!). I’ll link them in this note so you guys can check them out and give her some love! :3
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/alicorngamingart/art/Goodnight-Kiddo-755292971  
> https://www.deviantart.com/alicorngamingart/art/Beaten-at-Your-own-Game-755297798  
> https://www.deviantart.com/alicorngamingart/art/Snow-is-Just-The-Universe-Surrounding-You-755348205  
> https://www.deviantart.com/alicorngamingart/art/44-layers-of-pillows-still-not-enough-755514431  
> https://www.deviantart.com/alicorngamingart/art/I-m-tired-of-remembering-let-me-forget-755515055  
> https://www.deviantart.com/alicorngamingart/art/Is-That-a-New-Haircut-755515837  
> https://www.deviantart.com/alicorngamingart/art/REALLY-LOUD-SCREAMING-755516789  
> https://www.deviantart.com/alicorngamingart/art/A-Puppet-Show-in-Moonlight-755668594


	21. Laid to Rest

Every Subconite and Dweller that lived in the forest were clustered in the center of Subcon Village, watching as the figures in front of them prepared the ritual their leader had planned.

 

It had been difficult, both physically and emotionally, to remove the frozen bodies from Vanessa’s manor. Everyone had worked together to take the dead back to Subcon Village so the shadow could perform whatever ceremony he had in mind in order to “free them”.

 

Hat Kid had no idea what he meant, but she had a feeling the entire ordeal would be emotionally draining.

 

There had been more than enough crying already, and the night was barely half over!

 

When they had first left the manor the group, Moonjumper carrying Christine’s body once again, they had been more than a little surprised to see that the massive snowstorm had stopped. Finally the moon was able to peek out from behind the heavy clouds and the stars shone above them.

 

The peaceful silence that now engulfed the forest was a stark contrast to the battle that had gone on not that long ago, and the horrifying truth that had been learned.

 

Snatcher had then picked up Hat Kid and Mu and soared back to the village, Moonjumper following him. During their journey the group noticed several of Vanessa strange creatures, the headless ice statues, lying broken on the ground. It was as if something had shattered all of them, leaving none of the corrupted beings left.

 

It appeared as though Subcon itself was tired of dealing with Vanessa’s madness and had fought back in its own way.

 

The thought made Snatcher smile.

 

The trip back to the village was significantly faster than the journey to the manor, and in almost no time at all the warm lights of Subcon Village appeared before them. The group entered the village and immediately Subconites and Dwellers sprung up out of nowhere, all letting out cheers as they caught sight of the shadow.

 

Though the joyous celebration faded once the smaller shadows caught sight of the figure being cradled in Moonjumper’s arms.

 

Whispers broke out. Some wondered what had happened at Vanessa’s manor, while others realized that they _recognized_ the frozen corpse. Finally one Subconite walked up to the still grieving Snatcher, and asked the question they had all been thinking of.

 

“What happened?”

 

As if there were words to describe the sheer emotional devastation they had all gone through, as if he could begin to explain what he had discovered about those who used to rule Subcon.

 

As if he could explain what had happened to the missing residents before Vanessa had lashed out at the kingdom and destroyed everything.

 

But he was the only one who could.

 

The shadow sighed and waved Moonjumper over. His other self seemed a bit hesitant, but after a moment slowly floated over to him. Snatcher softly whispered to the corpse, keeping his voice low so no one else could hear. Once the instructions were finished Moonjumper nodded and made his way over to his home, Christine still cradled in his arms.

 

“As of this moment Vanessa has officially lost all control over Subcon.” Snatcher boomed, and watched as the crowd in front of him grew silent. “Moonjumper and I sealed her in the manor, she is no longer a threat to any of us.”

 

Rather than cheer his subjects remained silent, recognizing that there was something else he needed to speak of based on the depressed energy radiating off of his aura.  

 

“And we discovered the truth.” He breathed, eyes focusing on the ground below him as he took a moment to gather his thoughts.

 

It was not his fault.

 

As much as Snatcher wished he could blame himself for the madness and death that had occurred that day, the more that he thought about it the more he realized that there was nothing he could have done to change the outcome.

 

Perhaps he could have spent more time with Vanessa, but then he would not have been as prepared to take the throne, or if he had known about the curse before they met he would have been forced into a situation where he would have to be with her regardless of his own feelings.

 

Some part of him wondered whether the way she acted towards him at times would have changed if she had not been cursed. Her controlling mindset and _abusive_ behavior, would that still have been there even if the curse was not present?

 

Maybe she would have been a totally different person, or maybe she would have been the exact same and everything still would have ended with his slow demise in the basement.

 

Snatcher coughed and continued speaking, this time telling his subjects of the discovery of the curse that had been placed upon Vanessa’s family and how that caused the downfall of the kingdom and Vanessa’s descent into madness.

 

He did his best to ignore the startled gasps, the hushed whispers, and the soft crying as his subjects learned the truth behind their fates, the reason behind their _deaths_ and Subcon’s destruction. He clenched his talons by his sides and pushed through the emotions raging in his heart.

 

As much as he wanted to reach out and comfort his listeners, he knew he had to get to the end of his tale.

 

When he was finished he looked out over the sea of glowing faces staring at him, half expecting to see anger, but all of his subjects, the victims of Vanessa’s crimes were not angry.

 

They were just sad.

 

“What about Christine, Boss?” A single, Subconite asked.

 

The question made Snatcher cringe, recalling the fate his close friend had suffered, but he prepared himself to speak once again. “I assume several people went missing not long after I did.”

 

The Subconite nodded and the shadow continued to speak.

 

“Apparently Vanessa abducted several people who kept looking for me, including Christine and..”

 

_He could not say it, he could not say it-_

 

“My parents.” He finished, voice cracking painfully on the final word.

 

Immediately gasps and more whispers broke out as his subjects realized what that meant. Since Christine’s body had been brought back...

 

The same Subconite from before stepped forward. “We’re gonna get them, right Boss?”

 

Finally a smile appeared on the shadow’s face. “Of course.”

 

Cheers erupted from the crowd and it took some time to calm down the Subconites so the rescue mission could be planned.

 

For the next half an hour Snatcher, Moonjumper, the Subconites, and the Dwellers all focused on removing the frozen bodies from Vanessa’s manor and placing them in the center of Subcon Village.

 

Luckily enough there were no bodies in the attic where Vanessa was trapped so no one had to worry about the insane, cursed being hunting them down.

 

Snatcher and Moonjumper were in charge of breaking the corrupted ice magic that kept the victims affixed to the floor, while the Subconites and Dwellers carried the bodies back to the village. Of course this process was not smooth and was often brought to a halt when a Subconite burst into tears or when a Dweller sank to the floor in sorrow, memories broken but still able to recognize that the bodies belonged to someone they knew, but eventually it was done.

 

His subjects, the Dwellers, the Mafia, and even a couple Express Owls were clustered together not too far from where the Fire Spirits had created their bonfire. It had been decided that all of the victims of Vanessa’s attacks would be set free, regardless of whether they were from Subcon or not.

 

None of them deserved to suffer such a fate.

 

With the full moon floating above him, Snatcher found himself in front of a crowd once again. Moonjumper was floating off to his left while Hat Kid and Mu stood to his right. Both children were huddled close together, Hat Kid occasionally reaching up to brush at her misty eyes.

 

The shadow looked up at the moon hovering above him. The air was calm and filled with magic, surely a sign that, even amongst all the sorrow and rage, _this_ was supposed to happen.

 

Snatcher sighed, a glimmer of soft blue tears present in his eyes. “Let’s put them to rest.”

 

Magic had been used to kill them, so only magic could set them free.

 

The shadow took a deep breath in, let it out, and gathered his magic in his hands. The purple and yellow energy danced in his grasp, the most in tune it had ever been with him emotions. It burned with a powerful heat that rivaled the sun, and yet was extremely controlled and almost docile.

 

And then he flung the blaze onto the figures in the center of the village.

 

The frozen bodies immediately caught fire, his magic burning and purifying the corrupted ice that had ended their lives. Once the ice was gone instead of turning to ashes the victims of Vanessa’s rage seemed to fall apart into a mess of glowing lights that stretched up towards the sky.

 

Like tiny stars returning to the heavens.

 

Goodbyes and whispered prayers slowly leaked out of the crowd and family members and friends turned into warm glowing lights. Subconites and Dwellers alike remained close to one another, some held hands and others hugged as they watched the passing of those they cared about.

 

Tears fell and pooled on the thin layer of snow beneath them, mourning all that had happened.

 

As the flames consumed the frozen bodies of his parents, Snatcher’s eyes seemed to play a trick on him because instead of the terrified expressions he had seen earlier his parents were...

 

They were smiling.

 

A choked, broken sob escaped the shadow as he lurched forward, one arm stretched out towards the burning figures as if he could bring them back to life-

 

And then they were gone, vanished amongst the haze of glowing lights that reached up to the night sky above.

 

_But they were free!_

 

Though the tears kept pouring down his face, and Moonjumper’s if he had been paying any attention to the corpse, they were no longer an expression of his sorrow. He mourned the fact that his time with his family had been cut short, and yet he was happy because they no longer had to suffer.

 

Their souls were free of the icy prison Vanessa had trapped them in, free to move on into whatever afterlife awaited them.

 

He glanced over to the side and noticed Hat Kid staring up at the fading lights, tears slowly falling down her cheeks.

 

It was easy for him to imagine the disappointed looks on his parent’s face at his inaction when it came to his adopted child. He could hear his father gruffly demanding that he give the kid a hug and smell the warm food that would have greeted him and his daughter whenever they visited his parents.

 

If things had been different...

 

He shuddered and wiped the tears from his eyes. He knew there was no use dwelling on the past, not when both he and his kingdom had overcome so much, but now he could focus on the future.

 

Now he _had_ a future, one that was not entirely focused on staying away from Vanessa and keeping his subjects safe from her insanity.

 

Snatcher opened his mouth and addressed the crowd once more, determination and certainty filling his heart.

 

Today was the day, the day he would finally speak to his daughter.

 

_And hope she accepted him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well those who live in Subcon finally have some closure over the most traumatic event of their lives, but discussions still need to be had. 
> 
> I don’t know about you but I think Snatcher’s finally ready to talk to Hat Kid ;)


	22. Discussions of a Familial Nature

“Alright everyone!” Snatcher called out, watching as his subjects shifted their attention from the glowing lights up in the sky to him. “I have some business to attend to, so please wait here until I come back!”

 

Before Hat Kid could even ask what he was talking about she found herself getting scooped up into the shadow’s arms and carried out of sight. The duo vanished behind a nearby home while Moonjumper and Mu watched on, both immediately understanding exactly what Snatcher’s intentions were.

 

The hooded girl glanced up at the corpse beside her. “So, are we gonna eavesdrop on them or what?”

 

Moonjumper smiled, pleased his new daughter had come up with the same idea he had. “Of course we are!”

 

The corpse then picked Mu up and floated towards the house Snatcher had decided to hide behind. Once he got close to the stump he lowered himself until he was resting on the “roof”, far enough back so the shadow could not see him but close enough so he could hear what was going on. Mu squirmed out of his grasp and scooted closer so she could peer over the edge of the structure and see what was going on.

 

Neither felt too bothered by the thin layer of snow that covered the surface they were laying on. Sure, the cold was unpleasant, but they were far more focused on the spectacle that was certain to go on in front of them.

 

Meanwhile the crowd of Subconites and Dwellers remained where they were, glancing back and forth between each other. No one fully knew what was going on, but several had an idea of why their ruler would need to talk to the hatted child in a more private setting.

 

Suddenly one Subconite shouted out. “I bet one hundred Pons that the Boss is gonna talk to the newbie about family stuff!”

 

Another one snorted. “I bet two hundred that the Boss is going to call her his daughter again!”

 

Murmurs broke out amongst the crowd. The smaller shadows all made various guesses as to what Snatcher was discussing with Hat Kid, with family being the consistent theme during the discussions. Pons were traded and bets were made as to what the outcome would be of their private conversation.

 

Needless to say everyone wanted the newbie to officially join their makeshift family.

 

Back with Snatcher and Hat Kid, the hatted child was more than a little concerned when she noticed how tense the shadow was. Of course they had all just been through an incredibly stressful and emotional situation, she had shed more than a few tears during the ceremony, but she had a feeling this was not related to what had just happened.

 

He was tense, yes, and yet she could almost _feel_ excitement radiating off of him.

 

Actually the past couple of times she visited Subcon she could have sworn she sensed _something_ in the air. Some unknown energy that made her hair stand on end, similar to when she had entered Vanessa’s manor, but entirely different because it made her feel _safe_.

 

However that was something she would have to think about another time.

 

“Kid I know we’ve both said certain things.” Snatcher began, cringing when he caught sight of the confused expression on Hat Kid’s face. “Stuff about each other and I...”

 

Dammit, this was going to be _significantly_ harder than he thought!

 

“What I mean is...” The shadow trailed off and huffed in frustration. “We’ve been through a lot together and I-”

 

“Are you trying to propose to me or something?” Hat Kid suddenly interrupted, suppressing the smile that tried to form on her face when Snatcher paled. “You know that’s illegal right?”

 

Moonjumper was laughing so hard he was seconds away from falling off of the roof. Mu had one hand covering her mouth while she tried in vain to muffle the loud snorts that were escaping her.

 

The shadow wheezed and flailed his arms, blabbering as he desperately tried to regain control of the situation. Hat Kid laughed, tears gathering in her eyes as she watched her, hopefully soon to be, _father_ freak out. A few more moments passed and the shadow finally calmed down, realizing that the child had been _joking_ , and not serious like he had originally feared.

 

Although he felt a bit better now for some reason. It no longer felt like his ghostly heart was trying to escape his chest with its frantic beating.

 

“Kid.” He sighed and the immediately child stopped laughing. Now that Snatcher was not so nervous it was time to be serious and hear what he had to say.

 

What she hoped he had to say.

 

“I’ve come to think of you as my,” Snatcher paused, swallowed, and continued speaking. “My _daughter_ , and I wanted to know if you...”

 

Doubt surged in his mind, forcing his mouth closed as he considered all of the terrible outcomes that might occur if he continued speaking.

 

_Oh god this was so stupid. The kid was going to say no. She would reject his offer and be weirded out by it and then he would never see her again. He would be all alone in Subcon simply waiting out the rest of his days until he_ died _, reminiscing on what could have been if only he had not asked the kid-_

 

“I wanted to know if you wanted to actually be my kid.” He blurted out, struggling to fight against the negative thoughts that were saturating his mind. “I could adopt you or something-”

 

“Yes.” Hat Kid interrupted once again, a massive smile taking over her face as she bounced in place. “Yes, yes _yes_!”

 

And then she jumped up towards the shadow who, on instinct, reached out his arms to catch her and cradle her against his chest like he always did. Just like she always did, Hat Kid then snuggled as close to her adoptive father as she could.

 

“Really kiddo?” He breathed, any worry or nervousness left in him vanishing the moment she started hugging him.

 

“Of course you dummy!” The hatted child muttered, burying her face into the warm fluff around his neck. “I’ve called you dad a bunch of times!”

 

“I always thought you were joking.” The shadow muttered, ignoring the giggling coming from the beaming child in his arms.

 

“This is so cute.” Moonjumper sniffled from the rooftop, tears of joy falling down his face as he took in the adorable sight in front of him. His gangly arms reached out and ensnared Mu in a hug of his own. The cuddle was affectionate, and something the hooded girl found herself unconsciously leaning into.

 

“Oh stop crying you nerd.” She muttered, casually wiping at her own watery eyes. “Only babies cry about cute things.”

 

“Oh hush, I can see your tears too.” The corpse sighed, pulling the mustached girl just a bit closer. “Besides, it is perfectly fine to cry about cute things!”

 

“I wonder what they’re doing up there.” Hat Kid wondered as she looked up at the, no longer hidden, duo atop the roof.

 

“Being snoops from the looks of it.” The shadow scoffed, adjusting the child in his arms and then floated closer to the whispering pair. He had a feeling his other self would want to see what was going between him and the kiddo, so he was not too surprised to see Moonjumper up there.

 

Although he had not expected to see Mu as well...

 

“Get over here you two!” Snatcher shouted, catching both of the weepy individual’s attention. “I have an announcement to make!”

 

Moonjumper and Mu looked at each other and then seconds later Moonjumper was floating in front of Snatcher, Mu still held in his arms. He tilted his head to the side, a mischievous grin taking over his face as he took in the sight in front of him.

 

Hat Kid smiling and hugging her father, the warm light in Snatcher’s eyes as he cradled his child against his chest.

 

“It is about time.” The corpse scolded, wagging a finger in the shadow’s face. “I was getting worried you would not speak to your daughter about that!”

 

The shadow scoffed, rolled his eyes, and made his way back over to the crowd that was anxiously awaiting his return. A sigh escaped Moonjumper, making the two children laugh at the exasperated noise, but he followed the shadow back into the center of the village.

 

Snatcher paused once he was back in front of his subjects, glowing faces eagerly staring up at him. The powerful projection of _hope_ , _joy_ , and _excitement_ left him reeling for a moment from the mass of auras in front of him.

 

It looked as though his subjects already had an idea as to what he was going to say and were more than happy to hear it.

 

_Good, the kiddo could use some family members in her life that_ aren’t _Moonjumper!_

 

Snatcher coughed, clearing his nonexistent throat, and addressed the crowd once again. “CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!”

 

He ignored the mutter “It’s _may_ I” from the child in his arms.

 

“I would like to formally introduce,” The shadow paused and snorted when he noticed how weird the title would sound with the kid’s name. “Princess Hat Kid of Subcon!”

 

The hatted child gasped and squirmed around while cheers exploded out of the crowd in front of them. Her blue eyes met Snatcher’s yellow ones and her mouth hung open in shock.

 

No way... she was... _what?_

 

“Congrats, kiddo.” The smirking shadow said. “You’re royalty now.”

 

Moonjumper, sensing that now was the perfect time to add his own announcement to Snatcher, quickly jumped into action!

 

“And Princess Mu!” The corpse chimed in, swiftly plucking the hooded girl off of the ground and holding her up in the air. He ignored her startled yelp and frantic shouting, instead choosing to listen to the cheering that had, somehow, grown even louder.

 

It looked like both of their announcements had been met with praise and acceptance, the best outcome for everything that had happened.

 

Soon after both of the children were placed back on the ground, each in a state of shock. However this moment of peace would not last long as the inhabitants of Subcon surged towards the duo.

 

The two adults watched on as the Subconites and Dwellers swarmed the two children. Some of the smaller shadows spoke to both of the girls, enthusiasm radiating off of them as they discussed their new home, while others walked up to Hat Kid and gave her a warm hug, congratulating her on her adoption. Interestingly enough a majority of the Dwellers were floating around Mu, affectionately nuzzling her arms or back for some odd reason.

 

The Dwellers barely did anything, other than float around, so it was strange to see them being so... _loving_.

 

“You know this means we will need a bigger house.” Moonjumper casually said, glancing over towards Snatcher with a faint smirk on his face. “And you will have to get rid of some of your traps~”

 

The shadow snorted and crossed his arms. “And just _why_ should I build a house?”

 

“Do you expect the children to sleep in your tree whenever they visit for more than a day, or take over your reading chair while you are using it?” The corpse teased, and then laughed once he caught sight of the horrified look on his other self’s face.

 

Snatcher shuddered, easily imagining how catastrophic it would be to have not just one but _two_ kids interrupting his reading time.

 

The only way it could be worse would be if a third child randomly joined in, but that would _never_ happen.

 

_Right?_

 

“Okay, we need to build a house, what else?” He asked, now realizing just how much needed to be done in order to have a suitable home for both children to stay at.

 

He highly doubted Hat Kid would spend _all_ of her time in Subcon, she still had that spaceship of hers up in space, but Mu had nowhere else to go so she _needed_ a permanent place to stay. Besides, there was something oddly endearing about the abrasive, mustached child that made him want to help her as best he could.

 

Maybe _that_ was what the Dwellers were sensing earlier...

 

“Well,” Moonjumper hummed, placing a hand under his chin as he thought about the question. “A working kitchen is a must, the children need to eat after all. Bedrooms, a bathroom, and a safe way to get down.”

 

“Down?” Snatcher repeated, confusion present in his voice. “What’re you talking about, Moonboy?”

 

“The children are going to live in a treehouse, of course!” Moonjumper cheerfully replied. “It would be safe for them since anything on the ground would have a harder time reaching them!”

 

The shadow nodded in understanding. Even though the threat of Vanessa had been dealt with, there were still plenty of dangerous creatures that roamed Subcon, never mind any outside threats that might invade the forest.

 

“Besides,” The corpse playfully added. “You and I need to learn how to cook!”

 

Snatcher recalled the “food” he had seen in Hat Kid’s fridge all those weeks ago and shuddered. Yeah, it was best the cooking be left to those who actually knew what they were doing rather than trusting _children_ to feed themselves.

 

He would have to find that cat again at this rate...

 

The shadow sighed and shook his head. “Alright, let’s head back to your place so we can make a plan.”

 

There was no point in following through with what they discussed if there was not a proper plan on how to do it. Schematics for the tree house would have to be drawn up, materials would need to be gathered, and he would have to get an _electrician_ out here!

 

With that the two floating figures made their way over to Moonjumper’s home, chatting about their plans for the new treehouse along the way. Undoubtedly they would have to speak to the children at some point too, but it was best if they had the basic concept down first before Hat Kid and Mu decided to mess it up with whatever they wanted to add on.

 

Snatcher smirked and looked up to the moon above him, noticing that the stars seemed to shine just a bit brighter on this night, chasing away the darkness that had previously plagued them.

 

He was no longer afraid of whatever pain the future might bring, now he had a family to look after, a _daughter_ to take care of.

 

No longer would he stay in his home, hidden away from the world. Now he would go out and finally, truly live!

 

The shadow sighed once more, a soft smile appearing on his face. Yes, he was finally ready to let go of what had happened in the past and move into the future with his new family.

 

Meanwhile somewhere in the snow covered forest, a figure opened her eyes.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAT KID IS NOW PRINCESS HAT KID!!! AND WE HAVE PRINCESS MU!!!
> 
> And I wonder who that person at the end is...
> 
> Also I forgot to mention this in the previous chapter but there is MORE wonderful fanart available! The links will be available at the bottom of this note for those who wish to see them!
> 
> deviantart.com/alicorngamingart/art/Listen-Kid-758190948  
> deviantart.com/alicorngamingart/art/I-am-You-But-Corpse-758561759  
> deviantart.com/alicorngamingart/art/Lying-is-A-Burden-758562098  
> deviantart.com/alicorngamingart/art/Once-Upon-A-Time-758562476  
> deviantart.com/alicorngamingart/art/But-What-if-I-Fail-Her-Too-758562866  
> deviantart.com/alicorngamingart/art/Moonjumper-s-Land-of-Cuddles-758686992


	23. Open Your Eyes

Everything was cold.

 

_“Queen Vanessa,” The beautiful, red haired woman began to say as she followed the other woman into her manor. “Thank you for bringing me here! You said you managed to figure out where-”_

Static, a name lost to the world, and then the images within her mind continued.

_“-is?” She asked, bright eyes shining with joy as she looked at the Queen, desperately trying to ignore the voices in her mind that begged from her to flee, run as far from the freezing building as she could._

_There was something..._ wrong _with the woman in front of her._

_Her face kept twitching erratically, switching between a smile that seemed to be too big and a dark, murderous expression. There was a hint of sorrow too, but it was mostly hidden by the other emotions she was displaying. It made her more than a little concerned that something had happened to her close friend that he might have been found_ dead.

_Her heart pounded in her chest and she could feel the tears start to form in her eyes. She blinked them away and did her best to focus on the words Vanessa was saying._

_“Oh yes, I found him some time ago and since you are so_ close _to him I felt you had the right to know first.” The too cold woman replied, ruby eyes staring blankly ahead._

_She was so caught up in her excitement that she failed to notice that strange amount of emphasis that the Queen had placed on her words, and the fact that his_ parents _should have been told this information before her._

_The duo walked up the stairs of the manor. She had to be careful to not slip on the odd patch of ice that covered the wooden floors...?_

_Why was there_ ice _on the floor?_

_“Your Majesty.” She began, wincing when the woman looked at her with those empty eyes. “There’s ice on the floor, are your servants cleaning up properly?”_

_Her face twitched once again, ruby eyes almost glowing blood red in the light of the hallway. She cringed and back away, fear rising up in her heart. Surely it was not just the disappearance of the Prince, or_ King _, that had caused this disturbing change, especially since she had found him!_

_Right?_

_“This way.” The sudden voice startled her out of her thoughts, and she glanced up just in time to see a bit of blonde hair and green dress vanish into a nearby room._

_It appeared to be a bedroom of some sort, but once again it felt_ strange _. There was ice covering some of the walls, and the bed was resting in the center of the room near another door. Perhaps the oddest thing of all was that some sort of panel had opened up in the wall, exposing a small room that Vanessa now stood in front of._

_She walked over to join the other woman, assuming that this was where her friend was being kept. Once more that feeling of wrongness rushed over her but she ignored it and kept moving forward. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a small pot of flowers sitting on a desk. The flowers themselves were very small and clustered together with rich blue petals._

_Hydrangeas...?_

_Then she felt it, a casual brush against her shoulder as she stared into the empty room._

_And then everything went wrong._

_Ice immediately started to form where she had been touched, freezing her arm and back in an instant. She tried to turn her head and look at Vanessa, beg for help, but she was, quite literally, frozen in place._

_Her mind seemed to pause and suddenly she was in the room she had been looking into. The door was slowly closing, sealing her inside all alone with the darkness. She tried to struggle, squirm and break free, but she was trapped by the ice magic she had never known Vanessa possessed._

_The ice was everywhere, she could feel it seeping into her clothes, her skin, her very_ soul _but she could not move-_

 

Christine opened her eyes.

 

Her fingers twitched and convulsed as her body slowly came to life. The lights above her glowed softly but still hurt due to how much time she had spent trapped in that room, and the blanket beneath her felt so _soft_.

 

A sharp, strangled gasp escaped her as her body finally remembered how to breathe. She coughed and choked, wheezing as air entered her burning lungs.

 

_Where am I?_

 

She kept couching as she tried to sit up, falling back as the hammock rocked beneath her. She leaned her head back and glanced up to the strange ceiling, sighing as her eyes finally adjusted to the lighting. Actually now that she could get a better look, the ceiling almost looked like the inside of some sort of tree, but none of the homes in her village looked like this-

 

_Her hand_.

 

Christine paused, freezing as she noticed something strange, _different_ , about the hand that had been placed against her mouth.

 

It was pale blue and looked like it was made out of _ice-_

 

She started screaming.

 

Her loud, piercing shrieks ripped through the air as she fought to escape the hammock. She fell forward, landing on the floor with a heavy _thud_ , and then kept screaming when she caught sight of her legs and dress. She squirmed and backed away, knocking over a pile of books in the process. It was as though she had been completely covered in ice!

 

Did that mean her nightmare had been _real_? That Vanessa had actually-

 

The door in front of her burst open and two creatures hovered inside. It was a shadow and another floating figure of some kind, though the red outfit it wore looked familiar to her for some reason. Both creatures seemed stunned, but no one was more surprised than Christine.

 

She had never seen beings before like this in her life. Just what were they? Were they monsters here to kill her? Were they going to _eat_ her _soul_?

 

Had she been turned into a monster, was she the same as them?

 

The shadow reached forward, mouth opening to say something however her terror chose that exact moment to act up and once again she started screaming, slapping the shadowy appendage away.

 

_Oh gods, it has_ claws _it’s going to_ kill me!

 

Both of the creatures winced, the blue floating one appearing as though it was moments away from crying with that mournful look on its face, and while she felt guilty at making it sad, there were more concerning things to worry about.

 

Like where she was, what had happened to Vanessa, and where her close friend was!

 

_And why she could not seem to remember his name!_

So instead of waiting around or seeing what the shadow had to say, Christine stood up on wobbly legs, nearly falling forward once again, and made the choice that would most likely save her life.

 

She ran.

 

Christine shoved past the duo and sprinted outside, nearly falling over thanks to the numbness in her legs, but she shook it off and kept running.

 

She ignored the shouting that rang out behind her and kept running, sprinting past a hoard of smaller shadows and what appeared to be glowing noodles with masks. In fact as she was escaping she caught sight of _children_ standing nearby the other strange creatures, and they seemed to be _talking_ to them.

 

Just where in the world _was_ she?!

 

She kept running, leaving the village like place she had woken up in and ran down a path that had been somewhat carved out of the heavy snow. She panted and wheezed, but when the sound of shouting grew louder she pushed herself to run faster.

 

She had to escape, she had to get home!

 

During her flight to literally anywhere else, the woman glanced off to the side and noticed a split in the path ahead coming up. She looked further to the right and caught sight of something that nearly made her pause, complete and utter surprise running through her.

 

It was the bridge.

 

The sight of the familiar structure nearly caused her to start crying, but Christine held her tears back and changed directions, running so she was heading towards the only thing she could recognize from before she had been frozen.

 

Unfortunately with the tears obscuring her vision she did not notice that the bridge was broken until it was too late!

 

With a shriek Christine fell forwards, plummeting off of the edge of the structure and down into the inky abyss that reached who knows how far down. She closed her eyes and held her arms in front of her, bracing for the impact that would undoubtedly end her life.

 

But this was not necessary and something hooked itself around her waist and tugged her up into the air.

 

A yelp escaped her as she rose back up to the top of the crevasse. She glanced at her waist and found that a, surprisingly strong, red string had somehow been wrapped around her, and that was what was being used to pull her back up.

 

Though she had no idea where the string had come from...

 

In almost no time at all she was back on top of the bridge looking at the two monsters she had been fleeing from in the first place, but instead of being angry like she thought they would have been, they just seemed to be worried, and scared.

 

“You scared the shit out of me!” The shadow, a man based on the voice, exclaimed. “What were you thinking running away like that?”

 

She was stunned at the sheer concern present in his voice. Why would this shadow be so genuinely worried about her? Although his voice _did_ seem a bit familiar to her now that she thought about it.

 

The other creature, on the other hand, had a much different reaction.

 

“CHRISTINE!” He wailed, flinging his long arms around her and wrapping both her and the shadow up in a massive hug.

 

She gasped and squirmed but stopped once the shadow that was now sandwiched beside her started laughing. “Moonboy, I think you’re freaking her out with the hug.”

 

“Sorry!” The “Moonboy” gasped, immediately letting her go and backing away. “I just got so excited, and I was so scared.”

 

Familiar, familiar, the mannerisms, the voice, and even the appearance, why did this creature _also_ seem so familiar.

 

Just what was it that she was missing?

 

Christine walked forward, curiosity overtaking the other emotions that had previously been controlling her. She lifted her hands up and traced the creature’s face, ignoring the curious noise he made in response. Though the facial structure was a bit different, the fat baby cheeks she could always recall being there were gone, his expressions and the faint smile on his face, they were all the same.

 

That, combined with what she had noticed earlier, led her to one simple conclusion.

 

“It’s you.” She breathed, tears pouring out of her eyes as she beheld her friend who had changed so much since she had last seen him. “It’s really you!”

 

“Both yes and no.” Her friend replied. “You may call me Moonjumper, Christine.”

 

Finally the stress of the situation, her new appearance, her friend’s new appearance, and how much Subcon had changed since she was last outside got to her.

 

Christine cried.

 

She wailed and howled as she buried her face into the chest of this Moonjumper, sobbing as the shock wore off and was replaced with sorrow. Her friend cooed softly, rubbing a hand up and down her back in slow, soothing motions to help calm her down.

 

“Snatcher,” Moonjumper began, making Christine look at the shadow that had been completely silent for the past several minutes.

 

“Yeah?” The now named Snatcher asked, glancing quizzically at her friend. “What it is?”

 

“I think it would be best if you explain what has happened.” Moonjumper replied, carefully opening his arms up so the woman was no longer completely leaning against him. “You would be able to answer more of her questions.”

 

The shadow sputtered, backing away for a moment in, what Christine was easily able to identify as, anxiety. “What? But I’ll just scare her more!”

 

Her friend scoffed and gently nudged her towards the other creature. “Nonsense, you are adorable and fluffy Snatcher! Now I shall go back to the village and keep an eye on everyone there!”

 

“You sure you can handle it, Moonboy?” Snatcher snarked.

 

“Of course!” He gleefully responded, smirking at the shadow. “I cannot be too hard since you are in charge.”

 

While Snatcher sputtered and shouted something about “that mustached brat being a bad influence”, her friend floated forward so he was closer to her once again. The soft smile on his face helped to calm her down.

 

“Do not worry Christine you will be perfectly fine.” Moonjumper mumbled, leaning down to give her one final hug which she gratefully accepted. With that he floated off back towards the village she had originally woken up in.

 

When he was gone she turned to face the shadow she had been left with, Snatcher. Before he could even speak she marched forward, getting right up in his face.

 

“Tell me everything that happened.” Christine demanded, eyes flashing and fists clenching. “And don’t hold back!”

 

So, with great reluctance, he did.

 

For what felt like several hours Snatcher spoke about the aftermath of Vanessa’s madness, what Subcon had turned into, the arrival of Hat Kid, the connection between himself, Moonjumper, and the Prince, and the true reason why Vanessa had gone crazy in the first place. The tale had been quite a bit to take in and several times Christine had to ask him to repeat certain points to make sure she understood everything properly.

 

When everything was done Christine leaned back against the short wall on the side of the bridge and looked down at the stone beneath her. It was hard to believe so much had gone on while she had been trapped, frozen in that side room.

 

Her friend, now _friends_ , had suffered so much while she had been unable to help them, and it left a bitter taste in her mouth. And then there were the others who had been frozen just like she had, except their fate had been much more permanent.

 

For a moment she wondered why she had survived what had been a fatal attack, but she shook the thought away and decided to ask one more question.

 

“How long have I been away for?” Snatcher winced, folding his arms and looking up to the sky as he tried to remember just how long it had been.

 

He had never bothered to keep track of the years that had gone by.

 

The shadow sighed and dropped his arms, looking at the woman beside him. “It’s been at least two hundred years, Christine.”

 

Another choked sob escaped her and he quickly wrapped his arms around her, tugging her close. “I know.” He whispered as she buried her tear stained face into his chest. “I’m sorry.”

 

Once her sorrow had faded to more manageable levels she lifted a hand up and wiped her tears away, desperately trying to ignore her ice coated hand as it came into view.  Wishing for something to distract her from her despair over what had happened, she asked another question.

 

“So how are you doing now then, with all this Vanessa stuff behind you?”

 

“Well, I’m a dad now.” Snatcher began, looking down at her with a smirk on his face.

 

Christine snorted, a faint smile appearing on her face. “You, a dad? Wow I really did miss a lot!”

 

“To be fair I _officially_ became one like an hour or two ago, so it hasn’t been that long. Besides what the heck is that supposed to mean?”

 

The smile on her face grew larger and turned into a smirk. “Weeeeell, to be fair you always misplaced your books when you were growing up, you _constantly_ forgot to feed yourself and bathe-”

 

“She’s _nine_!” Snatcher interrupted, internally cringing at how much Christine remembered of his past. “She can take care of most of that herself!”

 

The shadow just hoped that she and his daughter would not talk about it, certain that the kiddo would use whatever she learned to torment him until the end of time.

 

Silence descended over the duo as the humor faded, forcing them to confront what had happened so far. Christine with the facts that she had nearly died, several of her loved ones _had_ died, and that she had missed at _least_ two hundred years of her friend’s life.

 

Or lives.

 

It was heartbreaking, and the shadow knew this, which was why he opened his mouth and spoke once again.

 

“Do you want to meet her?” Snatcher asked out of the blue.

 

Christine blinked, taken aback by the question. “Who?”

 

“My daughter! And you used to call _me_ forgetful!”

 

The woman scoffed and shoved at his arm, ignoring his laughter. “Oh stop it you dork, my brain has been ice for centuries! I have to get used to using it again!”

 

“Like you ever did in the first place!” Snatcher retorted, and then he squawked when Christine reached up and tugged at the fluff around his neck. “Hey, easy!”

 

The woman paused and backed away for a moment, eyes growing dim as she remembered the past once more. “You never used to react like this, and it’s just so weird to see...”

 

“Yeah, Moonjumper and I are pretty different, but you’ll get used to that eventually. Anyways, do you want to meet my kid?” The shadow repeated, holding out a hand for her to take.

 

It might have seemed a bit cruel for him to disregard her feeling in such a way, but he was worried she might get too caught up in the past and not be able to move forward into the future.

 

What had happened, had _happened_ , and there was no changing it.

 

“And risk missing the chance to tell her embarrassing stories about you? Let’s go!” With that Christine marched back towards the village, completely bypassing Snatcher who watched her go with a nostalgic smile on his face.

 

“It looks like you really _haven’t_ changed then.” He muttered to himself before chasing after her. “Wait for me!”

 

With that the duo swiftly made their way to Subcon Village, with Christine slowing down once she got closer to the tree based homes. She was more than a little nervous to see who else had survived Vanessa’s attack, and she still had no idea what she look like now so that was also stressing her out.

 

Snatcher suddenly placed a supportive hand on her shoulder, smiling warmly when she looked up at him. Together they moved into the village towards where a crowd of Subconites and Dwellers waited.

 

Moonjumper also floated nearby with Hat Kid and Mu by his sides. Both girls watched the woman walk towards them with wide eyes.

 

Luckily enough Moonjumper had been able to inform everyone of what had happened while Snatcher and Christine were talking. All of the Subconites had been stunned that the woman had managed to survive Vanessa’s attempt on her life, and were more than happy to see her walking around once again.

 

One more member of their family had been brought back to them, one less life lost during the events of that tragic day.

 

“Hello.” Christine greeted, crouching down once she got close enough to the children so she was closer to their height. “My name’s Christine.”

 

“I know!” The one wearing the hat shouted, bouncing up and down in what she assumed to be excitement. “Snatcher told me all about you, I’m Hat Kid!”

 

“And I’m Mu.” The mustached one added, suspiciously looking Christine up and down. “And you better not cause any trouble or you’ll regret it!”

 

“Mu!” Hat Kid immediately scolded, wagging a finger at the older girl. “That’s not nice, apologize!”

 

Mu scoffed and glanced off to the side, mumbling something about Christine hopefully not being “another weird old lady obsessed with poetry”. Moonjumper chuckled and reached down to playfully mess with the child’s hair, laughing louder when she slapped at his hand.

 

The sight made Christine smile. It was nice to see that her friends were doing well, and it looked like they _both_ had kids!

 

She wondered if that meant she was an aunt now...

 

Her musings were cut off when the mustached girl stepped forward and squinted, once again looking her over. “Actually you look weirder than the other nerds-”

 

“Mu!” Hat Kid scolded once again, but instead of being offended Christine felt worried.

 

Was it just as she had feared, did she look like a monster now? Perhaps she had changed as much as her friends had, or perhaps it was even worse.

 

“I have to see what I look like, I need you to show me, please!” She begged, looking back and forth between Snatcher and Moonjumper.

 

“Are you sure you want to?” Moonjumper asked, nervously tapping his fingers together. He was concerned about just how his friend would react to her new appearance, as was scared that she might do something dangerous if she saw herself.

 

No one had been happy after they had changed into their current forms, but Christine’s case was different. Her appearance had not been her body adapting, it was in reaction to what had happened to her.

 

What Vanessa had done to her.

 

“I just need to see how bad it is, please!” Christine replied, clenching her hands.

 

Snatcher sighed and with a wave of his hands a purple haze erupted from the ground, stretching upwards until it was just a bit taller than the woman was. Then the mirror slowly began to form until she was looking at a perfect reflection of herself.

 

_Except it was not her!_

 

Christine froze as she looked in the mirror, taking in her new appearance. Just as she had thought not long after she first woke up her entire body _had_ been incased in ice.

 

Her hair was now light purple in colour, no longer its warm red, and incredibly ridged. Her dress had stayed mostly the same, the main part of it was still the same shade of blue, although her apron was now a dark midnight blue instead of brown. Her skin was also blue but it was significantly lighter in colour, nearly white as it reflected the moonlight, and the coating hid her signature freckles from view.

 

Finally it was her eyes that had undergone the greatest change. That were a sharp light pink that glowed with their own energy.

 

Christine leaned forward, poking and prodding at her new face. “I guess this is me now?”

 

Hat Kid stepped forward, reaching up with one hand so she could gently tap the woman’s arm and catch her attention. Once those bright pink eyes were focused on her, she grinned and gestured towards the reflective surface. “It might look weird, but I think you’re still as pretty as you were before!”

 

Christine chuckled and affectionately knocked the child’s hat back, ignoring the girl’s faint shout. She looked back up in the mirror and smiled, this one much more genuine than before.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Hat Kid beamed and hugged Christine, giggling when she let out a faint huff of amusement at the child’s antics.  

 

“You’re welcome!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, Christine lives! Also I can now confirm that I have up to chapter 40 planned out for this story!
> 
> Yes, this is going to be a long fic. And I’d just like to thanks you guys once again for all of your support, I don’t think I would have gotten this far without you! 
> 
> Also since more people have been reading this I'll take this chance to remind you guys that I do have a Tumblr and Twitter account where you can follow me and stay updated on the progress of Snowcon and any other stories I write, just check my profile for the links!


	24. Slush

“Move faster, I have to find that mustache wearing brat!” A harsh, masculine voiced barked, breaking the silence that had engulfed the forest.

 

Several figures could be seen moving through the darkness, all hulking brutes that tripped and stumbled as they tried to navigate their way through the trees and bushes that surrounded them.

 

“Yes Boss!” A different, ruff voice answered. “Mafia will find Mustache Girl for you!”

 

“But snow is heavy.” A third muttered. “And Mafia not like snow...”

 

“Stop complaining and get moving! I’m freezing in this jar!” The original voice shouted, belonging to a jar that was held in one of the Mafia’s hands.

 

Or rather it belonged to the mush that was _in_ the jar. Mush that had eyes, an oddly well-groomed mustache, and was wearing what appeared to be a chef’s hat.

 

The Mafia Boss growled and muttered under his breath. “Stupid brat, trapping me in this jar and then running away to escape her punishment! I’ll get my revenge!”

 

The jar trembled once again, a shudder due to the brisk winds that blew through the too quiet forest, another shout escaped him. “AND CURSE THIS SNOW! I’LL BE _SLUSH_ AT THIS RATE!”

 

Unfortunately this sudden outburst had a rather negative effect on the Mafia who was carrying him. Completely surprised by his Boss’ rage, the bald man tripped and stumbled, slipping off of the snow covered grass and tumbling onto a lower ledge, where he immediately started to sink into the ground.

 

It appeared as though the group had stumbled, quite literally, into the local swamp.

 

“Mafia no like spooky swamp!” The Mafia yelped, struggling to escape the hands that were now reaching up from the somewhat frozen marsh beneath him.

 

The jar in his hands shook and squirmed as the Mafia Boss shouted at the top of his nonexistent lungs. “GET US OUT OF HERE!”

 

The other Mafia who had been with them, three in total, quickly rushed forward towards their leader and ally, yanking both of them out of the swamp before they complete sank into it. The Mafia that had been holder their leader hunched over and panted, heart pounding from the life threatening experience, while the jar just rocked back and forth in anger.

 

He hated the snow, _despised_ the swamp that had nearly taken his life, and blamed the mustached girl for it all.

 

“Boss, Mafia see lights in the distance!” One of the Mafia suddenly shouted, just now noticing what appeared to be several sources of light that were just barely visible through the darkness that surrounded them.

 

Lights meant homes, and the jar had a feeling the people who lived up ahead might know where his quarry might be, if he did not find her there that is.

 

The Mafia Boss chuckled, malice flashing darkly in his eyes. “Get moving men, we have a brat to find.”

 

**xxxxxxxxxx**

“Hm, so you still love books then? I’m glad to see that hasn’t changed.”

 

Snatcher scoffed and folded his arms, glancing at the frozen woman standing beside him. “Come on Christine, you should’ve known _that_ already. We would spend afternoon’s together reading!”

 

The frozen woman chuckled. “Yeah, but _you_ were the one reading, not me.”

 

“Because books are awesome, and entertaining!” Was the barked rebuttal.

 

“A dork in life and a dork in death, how fitting.”

 

“HEY!”

 

The group, consisting of Snatcher, Moonjumper, Christine, Hat Kid, and Mu, had all decided to move to Snatcher’s tree in order to discuss the ice coated woman’s future in Subcon Forest. Right now she was inspecting the shadow’s home while Moonjumper and the children took over Snatcher’s chair.

 

Christine was more than a little impressed that Snatcher’s home was so clean, considering all the snow outside and general dirt from the forest. The shadow explained his magic, the barrier he had set up around his home to keep it clean. She was eagerly listening, eyes wide with awe as she learned about the magic her friend now wielded.

 

Off to the side Mu groaned as she slumped over in Snatcher’s chair, Hat Kid giggling as she caught sight of the exasperated look on her _cousin’s_ face. “Ugh, are those two ever going to stop talking?!”

 

“They’re having fun so I don’t think so.” The hatted child chimed in.

 

Mu scoffed and sat up. “Yeah? Well it sounds like they’re _dating_ to me! Just look at her face, she _totally_ love him!”

 

Moonjumper chose this moment to interject, chuckling as he did so. “I can assure you neither Snatcher nor I have any romantic intentions towards Christine. She is a close friend, practically a sister to us!”

 

“So she _is_ our aunt!” Hat Kid cried, making the corpse laugh once again. “She’s Auntie Christine!”

 

Snatcher and Christine, now aware of the conversation going on off to the side, both glanced over and smile when they caught sight of the happy trio. The frozen woman was glad to see that, even in her new appearance, she was gaining new friends, and the shadow was incredibly happy to see neither of the children were that phased by the sudden addition to their growing family.

 

“I wonder if I’ll make a good aunt...” Christine murmured, anxious scratching as her cheek.

 

Snatcher smirked. “Please, if _I_ can be a ‘good dad’ then you’ll be an amazing aunt.”

 

“But Snatcher!” Hat Kid interrupted, jumping off of the chair so she could walk over to her father. “You’re an _awesome_ dad!”

 

Laughter broke out as a bright blush blossomed on the shadow’s face. He ducked and hid his face in his hands while his daughter reached up to hug his shadowy tail. It was definitely unusual to see Snatcher get so flustered, and Hat Kid intended to enjoy every minute of it.

 

“Boss! BOSS!” A voice suddenly shouted, catching the attention of everyone inside of the tree and completely destroying the joyful atmosphere.

 

Snatcher floated outside and immediately found himself facing a panicked Subconite. The smaller shadow was extremely nervous, fingers twitching and voice cracking as she spoke. “There’s intruders in the village!”

 

Snatcher snarled, talons sharpening to a deadly point as the words registered in his mind. Immediately his aura flashed, sending out a single pulse of _kill_ that reverberated through the forest. He vanished into the shadows below him, taking the quickest route to _personally_ deal with those who had invaded _his_ village.

 

Hat Kid and Mu looked at each other, nodded, and then sprinted down the main path in order to catch up to the enraged shadow and figure out what was going on.

 

Confused, Christine glanced back and forth from the rapidly disappearing children to the corpse at her side. “Moonjumper, what’s going on?”

 

“An emergency.” He muttered, holding out a hand for Christine to take. “Quickly, we must get back to the village!”

 

The frozen woman took the offered hand and soon found herself scooped up into the corpse’s arm. Now carrying his friend, Moonjumper soared out of the tree and into the skies of Subcon, not willing to risk losing Christine to whatever threat had decided to appear when they arrived at the village.

 

Back with Hat Kid and Mu the duo were sprinting down the main path towards Subcon Village. Occasionally one of the two would pull ahead of the other, but they did their best to stick together as they raced to the village.

 

“What happened?” Mu panted. “Your dad got all angry and _vanished_!”

 

Hat Kid shrugged, doing her best to push down the smile that threatened to appear on her face, and answered. “I don’t know, but there’s people at the village and Snatcher might need our help!”

 

Mu snorted, a mischievous grin appearing on her face. “I hope it’s a bunch of bad guys!”

 

She was still a bit disappointed that she had not gotten the chance to beat up the crazy old lady that had kidnapped the shadow, but now she might be able to kick some bad guy butt!

 

And take some of her pent up aggression out on them…

 

 In almost no time at all the two children found themselves rounding the corner that lead to the entrance of the village, pausing at the chaotic sight before them. Dwellers were rushing back and forth, sinuous forms twisting and turning as they moved, the Subconites had completely disappeared, most likely hiding in the shadows, and Snatcher looked angry.

 

As in _angry_ , angry.

 

And he was threatening the _Mafia?_

 

“What’re _those losers_ doing here?” Mu bit out. Hat Kid shrugged in response, more concerned with Snatcher, who had now noticed their presence and turned to face them.

 

“I thought you two would stay where it was _safe_ , and not follow me.” The shadow growled, eyes flashing in annoyance.

 

Hat Kid smiled. “Snatcher we’ve _both_ beaten all of these guys before. I thought you might need help so here we are!”

 

Snatcher snorted, the deadly aura around him vanishing for a moment as he smirked at his daughter. “Don’t worry kid, I got this.”

 

With that he spun around, a haze of purple surrounding him once again as his talons sharpened into deadly points. A bright, yellow light radiated from his eyes, and the fluff around his neck swayed in the icy breeze. Overall he looked significantly more intimidating than he previously did.  

 

“I’ll give you _one_ chance.” He venomously hissed, talons flexing as he tried to terrify the annoying Mafia. “To get out of _my forest_ , or else you’ll face the consequences.”

 

However the Mafia did not seemed concerned with the menacing, demonic creature in front of them. Their attention had been caught by the two girls, specifically the one standing beside Hat Kid.

 

“Boss, mustached girl is there!” One of the Mafia shouted, pointing at Mu.

 

“You rotten brat!” The Mafia Boss snarled, jar rocking back and forth in anger. “You’ll pay for what you did to me!”

 

The hooded girl smirked and rolled up her sleeves, more than ready for a fight. “Bring it!”

 

Unfortunately for her before the battle could even start it was interrupted by Moonjumper dropping down from the sky, Christine still cradled in his arms. He lowered them, allowing the woman to leave his grasp, and gestured for her to hide behind one of the nearby houses. After making sure his friend was safely hidden away, he turned to face the Mafia.

 

Moonjumper smiled, but there was no joy in the expression. “Ah, so you are the ones who lived on the same island as my dear Mu, correct?”

 

The Mafia Boss scoffed and answered, not noticing the tension that was slowly filling the air. “Yes, and what’s it to you?”

 

The corpse smiled once again. “I have been waiting for this moment, but I did not think it would arrive so soon.”

 

Suddenly a sharped red string shot through the air, just barely missing the jar that jumped out of the way when he caught sight of the attack. The deadly weapon slammed into the snow. Snatcher, Hat Kid, Mu, and all of the Mafia stared at it in a combination of extreme confusion and total fear.

 

Moonjumper laughed, summoning more strings to float around him.

 

The Mafia all screamed in terror and began to run away.

 

The corpse grinned maliciously and floated forward, ready to pursue his prey, but was stopped when a certain shadow lunged forward and wrapped his arms around him, holding the aggressive figure in place.

 

“Moonboy stop!” Snatcher barked, cursing as he tried to restrain the struggling corpse. “ _I’m_ supposed to be the violent one here, not you!”

 

“Wow,” Hat Kid whispered to Mu as the duo watched the adults argue. “Your dad looks _really_ mad.”

 

Mu scoffed and looked to the side, trying to hide the faint blush that was appearing on her face. “Well, uh, that doesn’t matter! Let’s catch those Mafia before they hurt anyone!”

 

With that the duo rushed off into the trees. Of course Snatcher and Moonjumper both noticed their departure, and the corpse struggled even more to try and break out of the shadow’s grasp so he could follow the children.

 

“Snatcher we must follow them!” He shouted, trying to plead with his other self. Rather than answer, Snatcher smirked and snapped his talons.

 

Sharp bursts of purple magic began to twine their way around the squirming corpse. As Snatcher slowly took his arms away the magic replaced them, continuing to hold Moonjumper in place while the shadow backed away. Finally, after a couple more moments had passed Moonjumper was cocooned in Snatcher’s magic, preventing him from moving the slightest bit.

 

“ _Now_ let’s go after them!” And with that the duo floated up into the air and after the children, Moonjumper being completely carried by Snatcher’s magic.

 

Hat Kid and Mu panted as they rushed after the fleeing Mafia, having to be extremely careful they did not fall into the swamp that was nearby during their chase. Luckily enough the Mafia had left a very obvious trail as to where they had gone, making it extremely easy to track them through the still heavy snow.

 

Not long after their chase began, they discovered the Mafia in a clearing, huddled close and speaking to one another as they tried to figure out what they should do next. The two children ducked behind a nearby tree, not wanting to get discovered just yet.

 

“You stay here while I go fight them.” Mu whispered. “I don’t want you getting punched in the face again.”

 

Hat Kid tried to argue, but a stern look from the mustached girl had her closing her mouth. She sighed, nodded, and continued to remain where she was so she could watch the fight and intervene if she needed to.

 

Once Mu was certain the hatted child would not follow her into the fight that was about to happen, she walked towards the Mafia, snow crunching underneath her.

 

“Hey you jerks!” She shouted, carefully censoring herself so Hat Kid did not accidentally hear her curse. “I heard you were looking for me, well I’m right here!”

 

“You brat! I’ll make you regret attacking us and stuffing me in this jar!” The Mafia Boss shouted, his underlings shouting out their agreements.

 

“I did that because you’re all bad guys!” Mu retorted, ferociously glaring at her longtime enemies. “You pick on _everyone_ in Mafia Town, and you took over an entire island!”

 

“Have you ever thought about what _we_ have been through?!” The jar howled, the sudden question silencing the mustached girl. She opened her mouth to try and continue talking, but was interrupted when the Mafia Boss spoke again.

 

“It was supposed to be _our_ new home, and you have done nothing but _ruin_ it!” The mustached girl froze. They were the _victims_ here, not the bad guys? That was impossible, it had to be!

 

Right?

 

“And you should just get, LOST!” The Mafia Boss barked, jar rattling back forth in anger.

 

Mu backed up, reaching up to tug at her hood as the words reverberated in her mind. Get lost? How could she “get lost” when she had always been?

 

It was at this moment Snatcher and Moonjumper finally arrived, just in time to hear those words echo through the silent forest.

 

The corpse snarled, absolutely furious with those who dared to yell at his child in such a way, and broke out of the magic that had held him in place. The Mafia, now seeing the creature that had been aiming to kill them set loose, shrieked and continued their flight from the forest.

 

A sharp shout escaped the shadow. “Moonjumper, stop!”

 

The corpse paused and spun about, fangs flashing in the moonlight. “What?!”

 

Rather than answer, Snatcher gestured to the mustached girl huddled up on the ground below him, her aura radiating sorrow and despair.

 

Immediately all the anger left Moonjumper, leaving him empty as he gazed upon his sad and lost daughter. He swiftly floated towards her, lowering himself to the ground and bending over so he could speak to her.

 

Off to the side the shadow watched on, something flickering in his eyes as he took in the heartwarming sight. Hat Kid, no longer wanting to stay where it was “safe”, ran out from behind the tree to her father’s side.

 

“C’mon kiddo.” Snatcher said, gesturing for Hat Kid to follow him. “Let’s give them some space.”

 

For a moment the hatted child wanted to say no and stay close to her friend’s side, but one look at the serious expression on her father’s face combined with the hushed whispers coming from Moonjumper told her that it would be a bad idea, so she followed the shadow back to Subcon Village.

 

“Snatcher,” Hat Kid began once the duo was far enough away from Mu and Moonjumper. “Why were you looking at Mu like that?”

 

The shadow blinked. “Like what?”

 

The hatted child shrugged and began to play with the zipper attached to the front of her attire. “Like... like you had an idea or something like that.”

 

He sighed, now realizing what his daughter was talking about, and faced her. This conversation was not one he ever intended to have with her simply because of how depressing it all was, but he could tell based on the look in her eyes she would not stop asking until he answered her.

 

Snatcher sighed once again. “She’s like the Dwellers, kid.”

 

Hat Kid’s jaw dropped.

 

“When people get... _traumatized_ by events it leaves a scar on their soul.” He began, watching as his daughter’s eyes widened. “Those scars are permanent, but most of the time people learn how to deal with them and live.”

 

_Even if it takes more than a century..._

 

“But in children those scars cripple the soul in a sense. The soul begins to fracture and break, and if the child dies...”

 

The shadow sighed once more, remembering the first moment he had encountered the Dwellers and the rage he had felt after he realized what Vanessa had done to them.

 

_They were just kids..._

 

“The soul loses its sense of self, memories fade, and eventually they can no longer communicate and remain a broken husk of their former self.”

 

Hat Kid gasped, understanding her father’s words but not wanting to believe what he was saying. “So that means all the Dwellers are kids like me?”

 

Snatcher winced, mind conjuring up the horrific image of a Dweller version of his daughter. Panic flooded him for a moment, forcing him to take a deep breath in order to calm down. Becoming a Dweller was a fate worse than death, and it terrified him to even think of his daughter suffering from something like that.

 

Countless times he had tried to put the Dwellers back together, repair the damage that had been done to their souls so they could be saved from their dammed fates, but he had failed every single time.

 

“Yeah, I guess you could say that. The masks they wear are another sign of the trauma the soul has been through. You could think of it as a shield of sorts, one final defense to stop the soul from shattering completely.”

 

“So why is Mu like them? She’s not a Dweller.” Hat Kid wondered, looking up at the shadow for an answer.

 

“But she _has_ been through something traumatizing, something that resulted in her memories being lost like what happens to the Dwellers. The Dwellers can sense this, as fragmented as they are, and are attracted to her.”

 

“I wonder if they’re trying to help her...” The child murmured. Snatcher smiled and reached down to playfully knock her hat around.

 

“That’s a nice thought, but don’t think about it too much, alright kid.”

 

Hat Kid huffed. “Fine. So what’re we gonna do now?”

 

“Well you could spend some more time getting to know Christine-”

 

“Can I make hot chocolate for her pleeeeeeeease?” The hatted child interrupted, peering up at her father with big blue eyes.

 

Snatcher chuckled. “Sure kiddo, now let’s get back home.”

 

Back with Moonjumper and Mu their discussion was not progressing nowhere near as smoothly as Hat Kid and Snatcher’s had. The mustached girl remained curled up on the ground, hands firmly placed over her ears, while the corpse did his best to get her to respond, but it seemed as though nothing was working, leaving him more than a little worried.

 

“Mu?” Moonjumper tried again, reaching out to shake the girl’s shoulder. “My dear I need you to speak to me so I may help you.”

 

_Help her…_

 

A broken laugh escape the mustached girl, a laugh that only grew stronger as she lifted her face up to meet the worried eyes of Moonjumper. Her eyes were rimmed red, tears starting to build up as his words echoed within her mind.

 

Help her? How in the world could he help _her_?

 

How could he help someone who had no real life, no identity, no proper sense of self? How could he help her when she did not know who she was?!

 

“How can you _help me_ when I don’t even know who I am?” She whimpered, laughter breaking off as the truth resonated within her.

 

The fear she had tried to suppress for most of her life, the loneliness, the mind numbing exhaustion of just trying to survive all on her own, it rose up like a tidal wave and threatened to drown her in a sea of sorrow.

 

“Who am I?!” Mu shouted, pacing back and forth in front of the distressed Moonjumper. “And why the heck can’t I remember anything before Mafia Town?!”

 

“Mu, please calm down!” Moonjumper tried to interject, but the distraught girl just kept talking.

 

“Did they forget about me?” She whispered, falling to her knees in the cold slush beneath her. “Am I not worth remembering?”

 

At this point the corpse had enough.

 

He swooped down and scooped the mustached girl up into his arms, cradling her against his chest as he rocked her back and forth in an attempt to calm her down. Mu sniffled, desperately trying to fight against the tears building up in her eyes.

 

Finally, when all was quiet, Moonjumper spoke.

 

“My dear Mu,” Moonjumper began, gently smiling at her. “It is important to know where one comes, what your blood family might be, but do not forget there are people _here_ who _love_ you and _care_ about you at this very moment.”

 

“We might not learn whatever happened to your family.” He continued, wincing as he caught sight of the heartbroken expression on her face. “But you can live and be happy without that information.”

 

Mu sighed and looked up at the being that had essentially adopted her for no reason. Moonjumper was a strange, compassionate creature, and that was something she had accepted in the day that she had gotten to know him, but there was still something she was curious about.

 

“Why?”

 

As vague as the question was, the corpse knew exactly what the mustached child was asking.

 

“Because I could.” He replied, smiling as he recalled when he first caught sight of her in the forest, freezing and terrified. “You needed help and I wanted to help you, it is as simple as that!”

 

“But what did you _want_ out of it?” Mu shouted, escaping his grasp and landing on the snow covered ground so she could look him in the eye. “What did you want from _me_?”

 

Moonjumper blinked. “Nothing.”

 

She scoffed and crossed her arms. “Yeah right! What do you really want?”

 

The corpse shrugged and sent her a small smirk. “Ah, well you caught me. What I want is for you to be happy!”

 

While Mu sputtered in disbelief, Moonjumper started to make his way back to Subcon Village, calling out to his adopted daughter once more before he disappeared from view. “I will be waiting back home for your return!”

 

She opened her mouth to call out to him, demand he come back and better explain himself, but in almost no time at all he had disappeared from view, leaving her all alone.

 

Not that she actually felt alone.

 

Mu looked down at her clenched hands, recalling the words that had been spoken to her earlier. “People who care about me...”

 

She remembered Hat Kid’s warm smiles when they fought the Mafia together, how that shadow had been worried about her when they were in that creepy old lady’s house, how Moonjumper had taken her in and told her she could stay with him.

 

Offered her everything she had wanted in life, a family and a home with no strings attached.

 

She lifted a hand and brushed it over the gold medallion that rested at the bottom of her hood. The tough metal was frigid, making her wince and quickly pull her fingers away from it. It was nothing like the warmth of Moonjumper when he hugged her and did not comfort her in the same way.

 

When she had first woken up in Mafia Town, alone and with only her hood and signature mustache, she had been so lost and confused. It was the medallion that had guided her, a precious object that told her clearly _someone_ had to have cared about her, that they had to be waiting for her.

 

So she had embarked on her mission, hoping that by defeating the Mafia she would find the one who had given her it and discover who she really was.

 

And yet so much had changed since that day...

 

Perhaps it would be best to stop her quest, at least for now.

 

With that final thought in mind Mu ran back towards Subcon Village, eager to spend more time with her new found family.

 

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**Omake:**

“They look so cute!”

 

“Can it Moonboy, you’re gonna wake them up!”

 

“But they look so cute Snatcher, like a pile of baby kittens!”

 

The two adults continued bickering back and forth, although noticeably lowering their voices so neither of them risked waking up the two children sleeping in the hammock in front of them.

 

Everyone was exhausted after the long day they had just experienced, between Snatcher getting kidnapped, discovering the truth about Vanessa, Christine waking up from her deadly slumber, and the arrival of the Mafia Boss, it was hard to believe so much had happened over the course of several hours.

 

It was only natural that the children had passed out once they reached the corpse’s home, Hat Kid being the first to falling asleep and then Mu joining her once she got home.

 

Moonjumper cooed over the duo once again, resisting the urge to reach out and hug both of them.

 

The exhausted children were cuddling each other, Hat Kid was curled up against Mu’s chest while the other girl had one of her arms placed protectively over her. All in all the sweet sight before Snatcher and Moonjumper was undoubtedly the best way to end the day.

 

Snatcher sighed and crossed his arms, a faint smile present of his face. “Those brats might be annoying, but they’re so _cute_.”

 

“I know!” The corpse gushed, flailing his arms up and down.

 

Silence reigned for a moment, and then...

 

“Do you _still_ want to hug them?”

 

“Of course!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As much as I love writing Snatcher and Hat Kid fluff, I find writing Mu and Moonjumper fluff is just as adorable :3 
> 
> Also as a heads up for the DLC this story won’t really address any of that, not just because I haven’t played it yet, I simply have quite a bit planned for future chapters regarding not just plot but character development. 
> 
> A LOT of character development. 
> 
> Make of that what you will, but rest assured that I will address whatever is in the DLC once I reach a suitable point in the story, whenever that will be.


	25. Settling In

“I can’t believe so much has changed.” Christine sighed as she looked out over Subcon Forest.

 

At this moment she, Snatcher and Moonjumper were all resting atop the large, glowing mushroom that had sprouted out of the tree Snatcher called home. Christine sat in the middle while the other two rested beside her, the shadow choosing to float rather than sit like Moonjumper had. The ice coated woman was looking off in the distance towards the two towers, one covered in ice while the other appeared to be torn apart by spikey vines.

 

She had never visited either of these locations since most of her business was focused on the main village with some trips out to the edges of the old kingdom’s territory, but with everything that had happened and what she had learned, she found herself wanting to know more about the distant structures.

 

Wondering if they held their own secrets…

 

“Do not worry Christine!” Moonjumper chimed in, smiling at the woman sitting on the mushroom beside him. “Subcon will feel like home in no time!”

 

“Yeah,” Snatcher added, a faint smirk on his face as he glanced over at the duo. “With all these kids running around it’ll feel like the village pretty soon.”

 

“You mean my new nieces?” Christine teased, smiling growing wider when her best friend, or _friends_ , nodded.

 

Hat Kid was an absolute sweetheart, she had learned during her short time knowing the hatted child. Energetic and helpful, willing to do whatever she could to aid those in need, and she could be quite mature for her age. Mu, on the other hand, was a bit headstrong and stubborn, and she could be a bit rude, but Christine had a feeling that with Moonjumper’s help the mustached child would open up to others soon enough.

 

Snatcher laughed. “I still can’t believe that mustached brat thought we were _dating_.”

 

A faint growl escaped Moonjumper, a menacing red glow taking over his eyes as he glared at the no longer laughing shadow. “Snatcher-”

 

“Relax Moonboy! I was just joking!” The shadow interrupted, holding his hands up in the air in an attempt to placate the aggravated corpse.

 

Christine broke down laughing, cackling as Moonjumper threateningly floated over to the cringing Snatcher. He got closer, closer…

 

Then he lunged!

 

Snatcher shrieked as Moonjumper threw himself as him, wrapping his arms around the shadow’s fluffy neck. Next he leaned down and started…. nuzzling Snatcher?

 

_The heck?!_

 

“Do not worry.” Moonjumper cooed, snuggling the struggling shadow. “I knew you were joking, I just wanted to play a trick on you!”

 

Christine was laughing so hard small, crystalline tears had begun to fall from her glowing, pink eyes.

 

“Get off Moonboy!” Snatcher barked, trying to shove the affectionate creature off of him.

 

Eventually Moonjumper relented and let him go, flashing a smirk at the flustered shadow. The trio returned to their original positions with Moonjumper and Snatcher chatting about the treehouse they needed to build at some point. Unfortunately Christine soon found herself lost in thought once again, thinking about her future in the spooky forest.

 

_What should I do now? Keep selling flowers like nothing happened or should I figure out something else to do?_

She sighed and looked out over the forest just like she had done previously, except this time the wonder in her gaze had been replaced by sorrow and confusion.

 

“Christine are you alright?” Moonjumper asked, worriedly glancing at the woman.

 

“I’m fine,” She began to say, but she paused when she noticed the look Snatcher was sending her. A look that told her to tell the truth, so she sighed and changed her answer. “I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.”  

 

“What you want!” The corpse replied, flashing her a warm smile. “You are free to do what you wish, as long as you do not hurt anyone!”

 

“You can always work on controlling that magic of yours.” Snatcher added, his smile fading when Christine looked at him in a combination of surprise and fear. “What?”

 

“How did you find out?” The frozen woman wheezed, eyes glowing brighter due to her terror. “I never told anyone about my magic!”

 

The shadow blinked, taken aback by how scared his friend was, but he answered her question. “Well, Moonboy here is the one who told me, but now I can sense your magic.”

 

Her aura radiated energy and raw power, a sign of the magic she held. It was actually a bit surprising he had missed it in the first place, but then again Snatcher had been… _preoccupied_ , to say the least.

 

Having to deal with the sight of your dead parents would do that to most people.

 

“Actually I believe that is why you were able to survive Vanessa’s attempt on your life in the first place.” Moonjumper interjected, catching Christine’s attention. “It was able to absorb her magic, somehow, which is why you look like this.”

 

“It protected me?” She gasped. “But how? I’ve never heard of such a thing!”

 

“To be fair someone going berserk like Vanessa did hadn’t happened before so we didn’t know.” Snatcher shrugged. “Besides, even back then magic wasn’t _that_ common.”

 

It had always been fairly rare to find someone who possessed magic before the kingdom had fallen apart, especially if they were not royalty. These people were usually taken from their homes and families once it was discovered that they had magic and were carefully watched in case their powers turned out to be more on the _destructive_ side like Vanessa’s. Only the royals were exempt from this rule since they were trained how to control their magic from the moment it manifested.

 

In other words it made sense why Christine had hidden her magic, but she had no reason to now.

 

“So what exactly _is_ your magic, Christine?” Moonjumper asked, staring at the woman with wide, eager eyes.

 

“Well, I guess I can kind of see the future using flowers?” Christine hedged, wincing when she caught sight of the confused looks being sent her way. “When I was growing up, I noticed that sometimes when I would talk to someone there would be flowers nearby.”

 

When she paused the duo gestured for her to continue speaking, their eyes wide with anticipation. “It happened often enough that I got curious and started looking up what the meanings behind the flowers were, what they symbolized and I realized that the flowers that I saw were connected to what would happen to the person I saw them near.”

 

“So you have some kind of premonition magic.” Snatcher mused, recalling the warning Christine had given him before Vanessa had chained him up.

 

“Yeah,” Christine sighed, glancing off to the side and knitting her fingers together. “One of the most helpful kinds of magic and look at all the good it did.”

 

“To be fair when you warned us about the flowers it never occurred to anyone that Vanessa would do what she did. “ Moonjumper interjected once more, reaching out to pat Christine’s shoulder. “And even then it appears as though it was the _curse_ that made her react in such a horrible way, so I doubt we could have avoided such an outcome.”

 

“But I could have-”

 

“But nothing!” Snatcher barked, startling both the frozen woman and the corpse. “It’s not your fault any of this happened, so don’t go blaming yourself for it!”

 

The time for pointing fingers was over. The curse had been discovered, Vanessa had been sealed in her manor, and those poor souls killed by her magic had been released. Even then, the only person who could fully be blamed for what had happened to Subcon was whoever had cursed the royal family, creating a ticking time bomb that would have gone off regardless.

 

“It’ll be alright, we’ll figure things out at they happen.” The shadow assured Christine, a soft smile on his face.

 

Silence reigned for a couple moments before Moonjumper decided to break it with his own comment. “You certainly have matured these past several weeks, Snatcher.”

 

“You used to be so _edgy_ and _cruel_ towards everyone who was not involved in the incident that destroyed our home, but look at you now. Taking in a child who needs a home, giving her the family she always wanted, _and_ you have censored yourself in front of her!” Moonjumper continued, a warm smile on his face.

 

Snatcher scoffed. “What do you mean _edgy_?!”

 

“You used to call Vanessa the b word!” The corpse replied. The shadow looked confused for a moment before a mischievous smirk appeared on his face.

 

“Oh, you mean bi-”

 

“Do not be so profane, there is no reason for it!”

 

“Listen here Moonboy, I’ll curse all I want!”

 

“But Snatcher, you shall set a bad example for your daughter, and my daughter, and however many other children we adopt!”

 

“Don’t you even _go there!_ ”

 

As the duo continued to bicker back and forth Christine watched them with a warm smile on her face. Sure, she was still worried about what her future in Subcon would be and what Vanessa’s magic might do to her, but she had a feeling everything would be alright in the end.

 

Now that she had her friend back, even if he had been torn in two, she knew they would all be happy, regardless of what challenges life threw their way.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

 

“C’mon Mu, this way!”

 

“Slow down, I’m running as fast as I can!”

 

Snow crunched beneath the boots of the duo as Hat Kid and Mu ran through the forest. The hatted child raced ahead, eager to show her friend more of the place that had essentially become her home, while the mustached girl struggled to keep up.

 

Chasing after the children were also several Subconites and a couple of Dwellers. The residents had decided to keep an eye on the duo after the incident with the Mafia the day before, not wanting to risk Moonjumper violently lashing out once again.

 

Or worse, allow the youngest members of their family to get hurt.

 

Finally Hat Kid stopped running, looking around at the area of the forest she had taken Mu to. It was not too far from the swap, and even with the snow covering most of the nearby structures the ghostly table and chair still floated in the air, the snow having fallen through them.

 

She had always felt sad whenever she visited here, and that feeling had only grown worse when she discovered what had happened to Snatcher.

 

She had never asked him about this place either…

 

“So what’s all this junk then?” Mu asked, gesturing to the various pieces of furniture littered about.

 

“I dunno.” Hat Kid shrugged. “I just thought it would be cool to check this place out. I haven’t been here in a while.”

 

“The Boss comes here to relax sometimes.” One of the Subconites said, catching both of the children’s attention. “It’s been a bit crazy lately so he hasn’t really had any time to come back here.”

 

“Yeah!” Another chimed in. “He used to hang out here _all_ the time!”

 

A third voice spoke. “I wouldn’t sit in those chairs, they aren’t that _solid_ if you catch-”

 

“Wait,” The mustached girl interrupted, glancing back and forth between the Subconites. “Who spoke first?”

 

“That was me.” The Subconite that spoke first replied, making Mu glanced at them in confusion.

 

“I thought it was that one!” She shouted, pointing to the only small shadow that had not spoken yet, who sighed and shook their head. “Ugh, you guys all look the same anyways, it’s impossible to tell who’s who!”

 

Hat Kid paused, turning to look at the group of shadows clustered in front of her. “Well, that’s cause we don’t have magic.”

 

“Magic?! For what?!”

 

“Sensing auras and stuff like that.” She shrugged. “There’s this energy the soul makes and they can-”

 

A frustrated noise escaped Mu and she shook her head, unconsciously interrupting Hat Kid. “Ugh, magic is so, so _dumb!_ ”

 

“It’s not!” The hatted child argued. “It’s cool, just super confusing!”

 

“And that’s why it’s dumb! Honestly, what’s the point in using magic if it’s so complicated?!”

 

“Because it’s cool.” She repeated, crossing her arms and staring at the now glowing Mu-

 

_Wait, what?!_

 

Indeed, for some reason Hat Kid could now faintly make out some kind of glow surrounding the mustached girl. While the glow did not seem to be any specific colour, she knew it was unique and that she would never see anything that looked just like it ever again. As Mu continued to rant and rave about how dumb and weird magic was, the hatted child took a step closer and narrowed her eyes, searching for... _something_.

 

Suddenly, she could _feel-_

_The burn of the sun on a warm day, the sounds of instruments blaring, drums and something else she could not quite grasp, the sensation of sand crunching beneath her as she walked through a vast desert-_

 

“Sand?” Hat Kid murmured aloud, catching the attention of the nearby Subconites and Dwellers.

 

“Uh, newbie? You okay?” One of the small shadows asked, nervously looking the child over. They could not _sense_ that something had changed for a brief moment, some shift in her aura, and yet...

 

“I’m fine, I think?” She replied, confusion lacing her voice. Immediately after she spoke the Subconites swarmed around her, checking her over to see if she truly was alright.

 

Mu watched from off to the side, some bitter feeling running through her heart as she watched the shadows worriedly hover over Hat Kid. Interestingly enough the Dwellers, instead of joining the shadows, floated over to the mustached girl and started nuzzling her.

 

“Hey!” She squawked, trying to shove the affectionate ghosts away. “Stop that!”

 

Naturally the shouting caught Hat Kid’s attention, who looked over at Mu in concern. Knowing that the mustached girl would just brush her off if she asked how she was doing, instead she leaned over to the Subconite closest to her and whispered softly. “Is she okay?”

 

“She’s nervous.” They whispered in response, glancing at Mu as they read her aura. “It looks like she’s not used to people caring about her like you and Moonjumper do, so it’s stressing her out.”

 

“And she feels guilty!” Another chimed in, ignoring the others who tried to get them to quiet down. “She doesn’t think she deserves your forgiveness!”

 

Hat Kid sighed and looked back over at Mu, wincing when she caught sight of her weakly shoving another Dweller away. It made her sad to see her cousin pushing everyone away, most likely scared of getting hurt, and the guilt she was apparently carrying. There had to be something she could do to cheer the mustached girl up and make her feel more comfortable...

 

She looked over to her left and smirked when she noticed a pile of fresh snow not too far away. There was a tree branch a couple feet above it, which could be used to…

 

_Perfect!_

 

The hatted child ran over to the mustached girl and grabbed her arm, ignoring the questioning shouts coming from the Subconites. She then dragged her over to a tree and bounced off of a nearby mushroom to reach the higher branches.

 

“Hat Kid what are you doing?” Mu yelped as she flew up into the air, stumbling as she was forced to land on the branch with the other child.

 

Hat Kid merely glanced back at her and smirked, tugging her along to the end of the branch.

 

A couple of moments later the duo stood at the end of the branch, both looking down at the pile of snow below them. The Subconites still on the ground were panicking now, demanding both children safely climb back down.

 

Unfortunately the hatted child had no intention of listening to them.

 

She turned to face Mu, expression shifting into something much more mischievous. She then slowly started to back away from her cousin, walking towards the end of the branch.

 

“Uh,” The mustached girl began, nerves making her voice crack slightly. “What are you doing-”

 

Her words were cut off when Hat Kid jumped, yelling loudly as she plummeted towards the forest floor. Instinctively Mu reached out to try and grab her while the Subconites all shouted in terror. The hatted child was in free fall for a second or two, ground swiftly approaching, and then-

 

_Ploof!_

 

She landed right in the middle of the pile of fresh snow, giggling wildly to herself. When she managed to break free of the snow she glanced up at her cousin, laughing at the gob smacked expression on her face.

 

“It’s fun Mu!” Hat Kid shouted, throwing a hastily snowball at the mustached girl. “And the snow’s super soft!”

 

“No way!” She howled, stomping a foot on the branch and nearly falling off in the process. “There’s no way I’m _jumping_ into snow! Haven’t you heard what people say about friends jumping off of bridges-”

 

Her words were cut off when she felt something poke her in the back, pushing her _too_ close to the edge-

 

“AHHHHHHHHH!” Mu shrieked as she was shoved off of the branch, nearly landing on Hat Kid as she plummeted into the pile of snow. Hovering just a bit above the tree branch a Dweller floated back and forth radiating mischief.

 

With a gasp she popped her head out of the snow and glared at the silently laughing Dweller. She growled, quickly made a snowball, and chucked it at them!

 

Of course it missed, smacking harmlessly into the trunk of the tree, but unfortunately for Mu the Dweller decided to retaliate.

 

Floating over to a snow covered branch, the Dweller smacked it and made an avalanche of snow fall on the children. The duo shrieked, a mixture of surprise and glee, and scampered out of the pile of snow.

 

Hat Kid laughed warmly as she brushed the snow off of her hat while Mu growled. The mustached girl scooped up some more snow and started rapidly chucking it at the Dweller, shouting the entire time.

 

“UGH, YOU JERK YOU SCARED THE LIFE OUT OF ME! HOW DARE YOU-”

 

Her tirade was cut off when a snowball hit her in the back of the head. She whirled around and found herself facing the hatted child who was whistling innocently. A smirk appeared on her face as she hefted her own snowball. “Alright you-”

 

Without warning she threw it, hitting a Subconite in the face!  


“What the heck?!” Mu yelped, stunned that Hat Kid had not only perfectly dodged her attack but managed to nail one of the smaller shadows in the process.

 

Naturally the other Subconites burst out laughing as they watched their companion wipe the slush off of their face, one even falling to their knees. In response the hit Subconite started throwing snow at the others, shouting loudly the entire time. At this point Mu decided to add some chaos, throwing her own snowballs at whoever was nearby, cackling madly.

 

Knowing there was only one thing she could do now, Hat Kid took a deep breath and shouted at the top of her lungs.

 

“SNOWBALL FIGHT!”

 

**xxxxxxxxxx**

“Really kid? You thought starting a snowball fight, _again_ ,  was a good idea?” Snatcher scolded as he wrapped the giggling Hat Kid up in the red blanket he had given her. He was currently sitting in his chair, the hatted child in his lap as he started to dry her off.

 

Moonjumper was holding Mu not too far away, cooing over her as he held her to his chest. The overly affectionate corpse had immediately gotten worried that the mustached child would grow ill due to how cold she was and decided the best option was to snuggle her as best he could.

 

At first Mu had protested, squirming slightly in an attempt to escape his hugs, but eventually she relented, a soft smile on her face as she relaxed into his embrace.

 

“But Snatcher it was _fuuuuun!_ ” Hat Kid whined, yelping as the shadow started to dry her hair off.

 

“Kid you’ve already gotten sick once, and that was bad enough.” Her father sighed, wincing as he recalled how mentally exhausting and absolutely draining that day had been.

 

She sneezed and the frown on Snatcher’s face grew. “I told you-”

 

“I’m fine!” The hatted child interrupted, turning to face her new aunt who was sitting at the edge of the homey tree. “Auntie Christine you agree with me, right?!”

 

The frozen woman chuckled and shook her head. “Sorry sweetie, there’s no getting out of this.”

 

Instead of pouting or acting upset, Hat Kid smiled warmly at the affectionate title as she was more than happy to see that she had truly gained another family member. However, now she needed to see if the same applied to someone else…

 

“What about Mu?!” Hat Kid shouted, point at the mustached child who was practically drowning in Moonjumper’s hugs. “What nickname does she get?”

 

The mustached girl, now realizing that there were people talking about her, pulled herself away from Moonjumper as best she could and looked at the trio, suspicion in her eyes. The woman smiled, mischief dancing in her eyes as she figured out what she wanted to say.

 

“Well, I’d say she’s a cutie~” Christine teased.

 

“I’M NOT CUTE!” Mu shouted, a fierce blush appearing on her face. It was easy to see that she was fighting to keep a smile off of her face, not that she was successful in her attempts.

 

“Of course you are!” The frozen woman retorted, waking over and affectionately patting the top of Mu’s head. “You’re my cutie niece now, right?”

 

The younger girl paused, looking up to Christine with an odd amount of vulnerability in her suddenly watery eyes. “You want to be my aunt?”

 

Immediately Christine wrapped both Moonjumper and Mu in a surprisingly warm hug. ”I’d be honored to, cutie.”

 

The corpse, whose eyes were already filled with water, started bawling as he hugged Mu and Christine as best he could. Snatcher watched in amusement as he wailed about how “precious” the mustached girl was and how “wonderful” Christine would be as an aunt.

 

He was snapped out of his thoughts when Hat Kid tugged at the fluff around his neck and he glanced down at her in curiosity. “You alright, kiddo?”

 

“Yeah, but we should join the hug.”

 

The shadow scoffed. “No way! Why would I-”

 

The hatted child interrupted him by pulling on the fluff once more and pointing at Moonjumper. The corpse was staring at Hat Kid and Snatcher with wide, teary eyes. He sniffled and opened his arms up a bit more, clearly wanting them to join the group hug.

 

An annoyed groan escaped Snatcher as he got up from his comfy chair, muttering as he floated over to the hugging trio. “This is the _only_ time I’m doing this, Moonboy.”

 

“YOU ARE BOTH SO CUUUUUUTE!” Moonjumper suddenly wailed as he caught sight of the duo approaching him. Hat Kid cuddled up to Snatcher’s chest, wrapped in a blanket. It was just…

 

So _cute!_

 

He passed Mu over to Christine before he flung himself at the duo, arms outstretched to give them a hug.

 

Hat Kid, despite her mobility being hindered by the blanket she was wrapped in, managed to jump out of Snatcher’s arms before Moonjumper slammed into the shadow, wrapping him up in what was undoubtedly a back-breaking hug.

 

“GET OFF OF ME!” Snatcher shouted as he tried to pry the corpse off of him. “I don’t want your stupid hugs!”

 

Hat Kid, Mu, and Christine all laughed loudly as Moonjumper continued to snuggle the shadow as best he could, cooing about how great of a father Snatcher was going to be.

 

Needless to say the laughing only grew louder when a faint blush appeared on Snatcher’s face.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes this was mainly a fluff chapter but I felt a break was needed because of all the plot related stuff going on, but don’t worry there will be some excitement and plot coming up soon. Sorry about the long wait but hopefully my muse shall continue to be nice and keep me motivated!


	26. A Gift

Subcon Forest was lively and full of motion as Subconites ran back and forth. Some were carrying glowing mushrooms back to the village while others worked to get rid of as much of the snow blanketing the ground as possible. Floating close to the center of the village was Moonjumper.

 

The corpse appeared to be directing the chaos, telling the Subconites where to go and what to do. He was also helping in his own way as red strings could be seen hanging between each house as the smaller shadows worked to tie the mushrooms to them.

 

Yes, the forest was full of chaos and shouting but there was a reason for this madness.

 

It was a celebration of the newly formed family, a way to show both Mu and Hat Kid how happy Snatcher, Moonjumper, Christine, and the Subconites were. Besides, a party was exactly what they needed to... _liven_ the forest up!

 

The two children had been told to stay out of the forest for a couple of days so that way they would be surprised by the party, and not interfere with the preparations or discover what their presents would be before they opened them.

 

Moonjumper had been very adamant that everything be kept a secret since he wanted to surprise Mu.

 

Snatcher, Christine, and Moonjumper were all responsible for their own gifts to give the children while the Subconites had worked together to craft their own present.

 

Both Christine and Moonjumper had quickly finished their gifts, the duo immediately knowing what they wanted to give to the children in thanks, but Snatcher was having a tougher time. He had figured out what he wanted to get Mu but deciding what to give Hat Kid was proving to be quite the challenge.

 

What could he give her that would properly express how grateful he was? What gift could represent the joy she had brought to his life? The hope she had given him?

 

There was no gift he could give that would ever be able to properly thank the hatted child for all she had done, for both himself and the forest, but he had to think of _something_ to give her!

 

The rest of the denizens of Subcon were too busy with preparing for the party, too caught up to notice the struggle Snatcher was going through and offer their own help, not that he would ever accept it.

 

He was proud and wanted to show his appreciation towards his daughter in his own way, which meant no wimping out and relying on someone else’s ideas!

 

He _would_ figure out what to give Hat Kid!

 

Eventually.

 

Meanwhile on a certain spaceship, Mu and Hat Kid were both putting together their own presents for a very similar reason. The two girls were grateful for their new home and as such wanted to give their new family gifts to show their thanks.

 

As such they had decided to take advantage of the days they were spending away from the forest in order to get ready and do what they needed to do. It never occurred to either girl that perhaps the rest of their family had a similar plan in mind and that was why they had been told to stay away.

 

No, both were far too focused on their own missions and could not consider the possibility of that being true in their current, somewhat stressed out states.

 

Hat Kid was currently finishing up her own gifts for Snatcher as she had already completed the ones she wanted to give to Moonjumper and Christine. She, unfortunately, did not have enough resources to make presents for the Subconites so she had to settle on giving them something else. Mu had, after snagging a bunch of paper and some art supplies, hidden herself away in some other section of the ship as she worked on her own gifts.

 

The mustached girl had no plans to purchase the gifts she wanted to give, she also did not have any resources to, and so she had settled on making her presents. Granted the process was not going as smoothly as she would have liked, she had already gone through several sheets of paper while trying to figure out what to do, but she would come up with something.

 

She had to. Her new family _deserved_ something nice for taking her in.  

 

Deciding to adopt a mess like her...

 

Mu scowled and continued to scribble away, although the frown slowly started to fade as the image before her _finally_ started to look like it had in her head. Now smiling, the mustached girl reached out and grabbed a red pencil crayon to start figuring out how to colour the image she had drawn.

 

Yes, she owed them quite a bit and could only hope that her gift would be able to convey her feelings.

 

**xxxxxxxxxx**

“Ughhhhhh, c’mon THINK! There’s gotta be something I can give the kiddo when she shows up!” Snatcher growled as he paced back and forth.

 

Instead of residing in his tree based home like usual, the shadow was actually brainstorming gift ideas at his secondary home. Music floated through the air as he floated around the ghostly table and chairs, occasionally poking at a piece of furniture or grabbing a book off of the shelf nearby.

 

It had been a day and just about everything had been set up. The children were supposed to come back to Subcon tomorrow and he _still_ did not have a present to give to his daughter!

 

The few ideas he _had_ thought of had been immediately shot down thanks to other people coming up with something similar, and there was no way in _hell_ he was going to give Hat Kid something she had already gotten before.

 

No, her present needed to be unique and important. As unique and important as _she_ was!

 

He wanted it to be a constant reminder of all that she had done and what she had gained in the process. Something that would be difficult to lose or forget. Something small and easy to carry so it was always with her and not stuck up on that ship.

 

But what fit that description? What could he use-

 

_A badge!_

 

Yes, that was perfect! A badge was something that she could always wear and badges were fairly sturdy so there was no risk of it breaking right away! Now all he had to do was figure out what he wanted the design for the badge to be.

 

The next hour or so saw Snatcher sketching images and designs onto sheets of paper he had summoned. His talons were covered in ink, having not thought of summoning a pen in his inspired state, and they scratched their way over the surface of the paper.

 

Certain images were put off to the side but most were burnt as the shadow did not find them to be satisfactory. Once he had all the images he felt necessary he cut them out of the paper with a quick slice of his talons and started arranging them.

 

Display after display, Snatcher tried to figure out what the best look would be for the badge he wished to create. It took several more minutes before he _finally_ settled upon the design he felt was best suitable and the most impressive.

 

Now all he had to do was figure out what he could make the badge out of...

 

Snatcher glanced over at the fireplace and stared at the crown resting on top of it, _his_ crown.

 

He smiled.

 

**xxxxxxxxxx**

“Hey Mu, what do you think everyone was doing while we were working on our presents?” Hat Kid asked as she and Mu walked towards the village.

 

Said presents were actually nowhere in sight as they had been left on the ship to prevent them from getting damaged. The plan was to see what had gone on during their absence and _then_ surprise their new family with the gifts they had made.

 

“I dunno, but I bet it was boring.” She scoffed, kicking at some snow. “Maybe they were working on that treehouse some more and didn’t want us getting in the way?”

 

“Nope! Snatcher told me he wanted us to be there so they didn’t make any mistakes so it has to be something else!”

 

“But _what_? What the peck would they kick us out for-” Mu’s words were cut off when the duo reached Subcon Village, and both of their eyes grew wide with shock at the sight before them.

 

The village looked _amazing!_

 

Just about all of the snow had been cleared off of the ground, revealing the somehow still green grass underneath. Red strings stretched out from one home to another, and glowing mushrooms were hanging off of them. Overall it looked warm and inviting, even from an outsider’s perspective.

 

“SURPRISE!” Moonjumper shouted, popping up behind the duo and scooping them up into his arms. Hat Kid and Mu both squirmed on instinct as they were hugged and spun around by the energetic corpse.

 

“My wonderful daughter and niece, I missed you both so much!” He cried, hugging them even tighter.

 

“Moonjumper you’re squishing us!”

 

“I can feel my spine breaking, let go!”

 

He blushed in embarrassment and placed the duo on the ground. “I apologize, I am just so excited, and I missed you both while you were gone!”

 

“So what’s with the decorations?” Mu asked, poking at a glowing mushroom. “Did you guys have a party without us?”

 

“Actually the party is _for_ you!” Christine cheerfully added as she walked over to join the trio. She was carrying a couple of wrapped items, and both Mu and Hat Kid could feel their jaws drop.

 

“Are those presents for us?!”

 

“No way! Are you joking?! You got _us_ presents, but we made-” Mu’s words were cut off when Hat Kid rushed forward and slapped a hand over her mouth, not wanting her cousin to give away the surprise.

 

Unfortunately based on the curious, and surprised, looks on the faces of the adults the hatted child had failed. “My wonderful daughter what is it that you made us?”

 

“Uh, well, you see...” The hooded girl trailed off, uncertain of what to say. Luckily enough Hat Kid had an idea on what to do.

 

“I need to go and get some stuff from my ship, but I’ll be right back!” She shouted as she rushed off. In seconds she was gone from sight and rocketing up into the sky as she made her way back to her spaceship.

 

Minutes later Hat Kid returned, arms full of the gifts that had been covered in wrapping paper. An excited squeal escaped Moonjumper and Christine’s jaw dropped. “No way, you two _also_ got gifts for us?”

 

“You, Moonjumper, and Snatcher.” Hat Kid listed as she passed some of the presents to Mu. “We didn’t have enough time to make gifts for _all_ of the Subconites and Dwellers, but hopefully hugs will do.”

 

“My my, what luck and coincidence!” Moonjumper exclaimed. “Let us head to the center of the village, then. Everything has been set up and all we were waiting for was you two!”

 

He floated ahead and gestured for the trio to follow him. Christine rolled her eyes and walked forward with Hat Kid and Mu following only a moment later. In hardly no time at all the group approached the gaggle of Subconites who were murmuring to one another.

 

As soon as the small shadows caught sight of them they rushed into action, grabbing gifts from the nearby houses and bringing them out into the open. There were not too many presents, as the Subconites had worked together to create one from all of them for each child, but they had clearly been wrapped with care.

 

When the Subconites caught sight of the group they immediately surged forward and started checking over each child. Several Dwellers also dropped down from the sky and started floating around Mu, occasionally nudging her which resulted in her laughing and petting them.

 

“Snatcher is still missing.” Moonjumper noted, eyes scanning the village as he searched for the shadow. “Is he still working on that gift?”

 

“I think so, but that’s okay. We can distract the kids with the presents we have ready to give them and buy him some time.”

 

“An excellent idea, Christine!”

 

With that plan in mind, the two adults introduced the children to their presents. At first Hat Kid tried to protest, having noticed that her father was not there, but she relented when she noticed the downright _mystified_ look in Mu’s eyes.

 

The mustached girl could not recall having ever gotten gifts before, even when she helped out the inhabitants of Mafia Town.

 

So she grabbed one of her cousin’s gifts and offered it to her with a smile on her face.

 

“That one is from me!” The corpse cheerfully exclaimed. “I thought it would come in handy, and I hope you enjoy it!”

 

Hardly a second later wrapping paper covered the ground as Mu beheld her present. It was a red cape, similar to the one she currently wore, except there were a few key differences. The biggest had to be that the cape was much more vibrant and a yellow crescent moon surrounded by stars had been sown into the back of it. She gasped, eyes practically glowing with both surprise and excitement, and then rushed to put it on.

 

“Slow down!” Moonjumper chuckled as he assisted his daughter. “You do not need to move so quickly-”

 

“Just help me get this dumb thing on!”

 

Despite how excited Mu was, and in turn how difficult it proved to be to get her original cape off, it was not too long before the mustached girl was racing around the center of the village, new cape flowing behind her.

 

It almost seemed like stars trailed after her as she ran, twinkling brightly before they fell to the forest floor and faded.

 

After her excitement had faded, and those watching had stopped cooing over how adorable she was, it was Christine’s turn to give her a gift. The frozen woman walked over to Mu and handed her what appeared to be a flower made out of ice. The stunned mustached girl carefully took it, not wanting to break the seemingly fragile present.

 

“That’s a gladiolus flower.” The frozen woman explained, noting her confusion. “It represents strength, integrity, and honor.”

 

She reached out and pat Mu on the head, sending her a warm smile the entire time. “You’re very strong, Mu.”

 

Before she could break down crying, a hoard of Subconites mixed with Dwellers rushed forward to give her their present. It turned out to be a red and yellow fox mask, and the eyes glowed a brilliant golden colour. Naturally she immediately put it on and was swarmed by some of the Dwellers who started nudging her.

 

The adults then moved on to Hat Kid’s presents since Mu was a bit... _occupied_ at the moment.

 

From Moonjumper she got a bunch of different dolls, including one that looked like herself. She had enthusiastically hugged the corpse in thanks, who then blushed intensely at her words and the hug.

 

The flower that she got from Christine, once again beautifully carved out of ice, was apparently an iris. “You gave us hope in our darkest hour, and you will always be our hope, Hat Kid.”

 

Her next gift was a rich, dark purple cloak that reminded her of the ones that the Subconites wore. The fabric was soft and warm, and could easily double as yet another blanket. She immediately put it on and started chasing after Mu.

 

After the children had tired themselves out they grabbed their presents and passed them to the adults, smiling the entire time.

 

For Christine and Moonjumper, Hat Kid had ended up making a scarf and mittens respectively. Both had gushed over the items and immediately put them on, the frozen woman loving how the gentle pink scarf trailed after her and the corpse enjoying how the red of the mittens matched his coat.

 

Their excitement only grew when Mu presented her gift, a wonderful drawing of her new family. Everyone was clustered together, practically hugging one another as they faced the viewer.

 

It was at this moment that a familiar, loud voice interrupted the joyous celebration.

 

“Hey there kiddo!”

 

“Snatcher!” Hat Kid gasped. She stood up and rushed over to her father. Once she got close enough she jumped up into the air and the shadow scooped her up.

 

“Looks like somebody’s happy to see me!” He teased as he reached out to flick at her nose.

 

“Here you go kiddo.” He said as he held out the messily wrapped present. She took it with wary eyes and turned in over in her hands. She half expected it to be a prank of some sort, but that did not stop her from opening it.

 

Hat Kid gasped. “It’s.... it’s beautiful.”

 

The badge was solid gold and covered in depictions of herself and her newly gained family. In the center was her with Snatcher and Moonjumper on either side. A surprisingly detail Mu could be seen near the corpse while a depiction of Christine stood close to the shadow. Most of the background was filled with Subconites and Dwellers, and a massive crescent moon floated above them.

 

“I take it you like it?”

 

“I LOVE IT!” She shouted, flinging herself at Snatcher as she chanted the words over and over again. “I love it! I love it! I love-”

 

“Calm down kiddo!” He chuckled, scooping her up into his arms once more. “Relax, and Mu’s still gotta read her present.”

 

“Read? What kind of present involves _reading_?”

 

“This kind.” And then he shoved a stack of papers into her face. After a moment’s hesitation she took them and scanned the title.

 

And nearly started crying as she processed the words.

 

“What’s it say?” Hat Kid asked, squirming in Snatcher’s arms as she tried to read the contract. “Well?”

 

“Subcon Family Contract,” Mu began, a giggle escaping her. “Contractual obligations: be happy, hug Moonjumper, and don’t fight your cousin.”

 

“We’ll start building your treehouse tomorrow.” Snatcher added as Christine and Moonjumper nodded in the background. “Hopefully it shouldn’t take too long, but-”

 

A squawk escaped him as the mustached girl flung herself at him. He reached down, scooped her up, and then brought her close to Hat Kid. The two girls hugged and started eagerly chatting about their presents and the treehouse.

 

The shadow sighed and glanced over at the other two adults, a tired smile on his face. “So I take it that the kiddos were happy with their presents?”

 

“Extremely, and they gave us some wonderful presents in return!”

 

“Wait, they got us presents-”

 

“Oh yeah, we still need to give you your gifts Snatcher!”

 

“Suddenly I’m scared...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to apologize for the long wait between chapters but with winter break now here I can focus more on writing (and hopefully get my muse to cooperate XD)
> 
> I will currently be doing my best to get some chapters out for you guys as a way to say thanks for your continued support and patience. Of course I’m not going to burn myself out doing this but I am hyped to write more!


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